Mercy's Cry
by Create The Great
Summary: Sequel to The slave girl and her Alpha. Summery inside.
1. Blurb

**_Mercy's cry._**

**_It's been years. A lot has changed through out the kingdoms. The world isn't exactly at peace like Mercy's parents had hoped. Lotus threatens war. And the Bloodrose queen is less than prepared. Bloodmoon refuses to get involved and Moonstone is the first to witness a new threat on the loose. _**

**_ When the new threat rises to power, it's up to Alice to act on it. However, she has her own problems to face. When this new threat endangers her family's lives she makes a split decision to save them. Though, they are now safe for a while, Alice finds herself standing in the middle of chaos, defenseless. _**


	2. Chapter 1

**Prologue-**

I'm in the woods of Lotus again. I'm sure why my visions have taken me here yet again but I'm eager to find out. I remember seeing this before, once, when I was visiting Carlisle for the first time in his little shack. Of course, I wasn't even half as good at being an oracle as I am now, the vision wasn't as clear and it didn't last _this _long. I'm curious as to why it's so important to myself I see this again, so I sit and bare it out.

The woman's name is Esme. She was Carlisle's half sister and my father's first wife. She was a very jealous and insecure woman. She had difficulty baring a child of her own and it did her no good when Sulpicia, my mother, stepped into the frame. Not only did my father cheat with her, but he got her pregnant. Esme was right to be angry and upset, she was right to want to take a revenge on the two and hold a claim to something that could never be hers, but stealing a child wasn't the right thing to do. Especially since her story ends in her death. She was better off letting Sulpicia and Aro have their damned love child. The world we share is too dark to find a 'safe' place to raise a child. To make the situation worse, she ran all the way to Lotus. The worse possible place she could ever arrive at.

At the time, William had just gotten his throne, along with Marie. Carlisle, who madly in love the Lotus Queen, had chosen to live for the chance that he might get to see his love one more time rather than help his sister escape. Esme was on her own and William had ordered the killing of any and every hybrid on his land, due to past fears.

Esme's death could be foreseen by anyone who had eyes. She made a smart choice, leaving her stolen child behind first. She died, and the child was too far away for her wails to be heard by the Lotus guards. In the blackness of the night her eyes shone a brilliant white and her cries rang throughout the forest.

The trees swayed in the wind and the leaves rustled violently. All that could be heard was the constant swishing sound they made. In the sky, dark clouds were forming, threatening snow.

The child kicked and screamed, fighting her way out of the blankets. The bright of her eyes were now gone, they're brown and watery, begging for the comfort Esme brought her.

I watched quietly with anticipation. I know she's going to live, but how? Why? Alone in the woods, a child must die, eventually. Yet, I lived. Even in the bitter cold. I lived.

The dead leaves on the ground suddenly crunched under a heavy weight.

In the blackness, an even darker shape formed. At first, one might believe it is a Lycan; an alpha one. It's huge. It stands taller than the height of seven grown men put together. The eyes of it are dark and focused, but the wrong color to say it came from Lotus. It's a strange orange...red...

It isn't a Lycan at all.

It walks on practically all fours, in a strange jerky, half frantic kind of way. The claws don't favor those of a Lycan because it nails are too long and thin-ish. The teeth hangs from it's mouth covered in drool. It doesn't look as sharp as it should be to stay it's a lycan, though it has the size. The shoulders are too broad and the hips too narrow, giving it's body a strange shape. It's not covered in fur. It's skin is a strange blackish color. It's not a pretty creature that jerks it's way over to little Thea to sniff at her.

Instantly, she stops crying to look into the eyes of the creature hovering above her, as fearlessly as a child would. Her eyes shone blue, and in that moment, mine did as well. Something about this thing rang danger, but as soon as it appeared it disappeared. It dashed over her, not bothering to try and make her its meal at all and ran in the opposite direction from which it came, whimpering like a dog in pain.

Whatever it smelled on Thea...on me...frightened it. And for that I'm grateful.

Thea's wails began in the dead of night once more, but this time, the footsteps I hear approaching her are human and harmless.

* * *

**Chapter 1-**

There has always been a certain beauty about the Lotus Moon Clan. Yes, the streets are dirty and stained with blood. Yes, the people are rough and at times, heartless, but even so, they are proud of who they are and strong. They are egoistical even in their own shit. Some of them even see their grass green when in reality it is brown, just because they don't know any better. They have a bad habit of surviving, even in the most brutal of times. They are hardened and strong, even the women, the wives of the men who should be considered murderers aren't exactly soft. They're strong enough to hold their own, even for a little while. And that, within itself, is beautiful. It's admirable.

The Bloodrose clan however, holds a different kind of beauty. Everything here is soft. The children aren't learning to murder each other. They play soft, childish games. You never realize how horribly violent your son is until you compare him to another. Here, the roses bloom without much thorns and beautiful parts of nature are open and taken care of by all.

It's just about everything I imagined for my own clan. Even the slaves aren't as dirty as they should be. Even they, striped of all their glory, walk around more beautiful than anyone from lotus would or could ever claim themselves to be.

I've only been here once, and that time, I was only about fifteen, sixteen maybe? I was young, Isabella and I were still in the early stages of our relationships. She wouldn't let me wander on my own. I never got to truly appreciate the beauty of this clan before, until now.

And then, you have their queen. Rosalie, who was fitting enough. Gorgeous girl, gorgeous clan. Soft queen, soft clan. I wonder why it worked that way. It's like, the monarchs are the parents and the people are the children. The children will always follow the parent I guess. I can only imagine what the children of Lotus are up to now.

The thought completely ruins the image of perfect beauty I have in front of me.

I turn away from the balcony and walk inside my room in the palace. Rosalie is in there, waiting, like she was when I left her. She wore the same expression. I couldn't tell if it was fright or disbelief or relief or just...pondering.

She frowns a little when she sees me and stands. It's been just about three years since I've last seen her and what a difference it has made. She doesn't look like that eighteen year old girl who annoyed me so much anymore. She looked mature, grown up in some ways; Already old in others.

She holds me tightly against her in some kind of hug, I'm not used to. I kind of want her to squeeze me. I kind of what her to let me go.

"They said you were dead." She swallows. "They said they'd hang your body besides Isabella's. I-"

"I'm here, aren't I? Do I look dead to you Rosalie?" She pulls back to examine me, with tears already pouring from her brown eyes.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" I scoff and try to pull away in away that doesn't land her on her ass, but she doesn't budge. I literally have to pry her fingers from around my waist and shove her a few feet away from. She doesn't phase from the action, just keeps going. "How'd you survive? I need to know. People don't just _come back from the dead. _I was so sure Maria would have burned your body."

"Luck?"

"Alice, I mean it. Don't give me bullshit. No one survives Maria. You know what chaos this will unleash?"

"No, seriously. Luck. I'm a very lucky one, didn't you know? I mean, I must be. I survived the wrath of Maria, who threw me across the room like a doll. The only explanation as to why I'm alive is luck."

"Unless the Gods favor you."

"As oppose to whom?" I shove her off and begin to strip my clothing one by one."I'd like to take a shower now. I haven't had a proper one in months."

"As oppose to Isabella perhaps?" She says cautiously. I glare at her and she cowers in her spot.

"Watch your mouth. Isabella prayed more to them that I ever had. How could they favor me? Don't be ridiculous. I doubt the gods favor anyone. They're cruel to us all just the same. I'm done talking about this. Show me your showers."

"I'm not done talking with you." She says simply, with a shrug. I frown. Just because she doesn't look annoying anymore, doesn't me she isn't. I've been here less than an hour and already I want to rip her tongue out. "You think people will take this lightly? If Maria finds out- oh my. Imagine what she'll do."

"Rosalie, I do not want to imagine anything about Maria that doesn't end with her dead. I want to shower. Are you going to show me where or are you just going to keep talking?"

She frowns and walks over to me slower than I would like her to. I brush her off when she tries to touch me again. I'm sure comfort isn't what I want. I want to kill something or someone. Preferably Maria, because just the thought of her upsets me, but that isn't going to happen tonight. "I'm being serious, you know. You need to tell me what happened so I can help you. So we can figure out where to go from here. Once the public is made aware of your..._survival-_"

"Rosalie, I spent months running through the woods. I don't want to hear about this right now. I want a calm moment, alone, _in the shower. _Are you going to show me where or not?" I growl out through me teeth. She jumps and quickens her step to a door attached to my room. Slowly, she opens it and invites me in. It's semi-dark and a small little room, with the tub in corner, rather than in the middle like how Isabella and I had our showers. It's painted a soothing yellow, but it just annoys me even more so.

Everything here reminds me that I am not home.

I will never go back to what I know as _home _again.

"Would you like a servant girl to come and help you? They don't speak your tongue. They'll just help you and leave" Her eyes are soft and concerned. I turn my back to them.

"I know how to bathe myself."

"I know...I just want you comfortable."

"Stop." It's quiet for a little while, before I step forward to turn on the hot water and let it fill the tub. Same time, Rosalie decides to speak again.

"Where is Alec?"

"In Lotus." I answer bluntly. I removed the rest of my clothing shamelessly and dump the on the floor. They'll have to be thrown out, they're all worn and stained with dirt. It's not as if they were worth anything anyhow.

"Is he alive?"

"Rosalie-"

"Ok." She curses. "Fine. I'll give you tonight, but tomorrow you need to answer me. You expect me to just accept that you're alive and move on?"

"Well, you should." I glare at the floor, still not wanting to face her. "I'm alive and I want to survive my purpose then join my wife. Will you leave me now?"

"What if I don't want to? I went a whole two years thinking you were dead and you want me to just _leave you_?"

"Yes." As strange as it sounds, I like the idea of being alone in a dark room with nothing but hot water to burn away my sorrows. "As grateful as I am to you, yes, I want to be alone. I want to be alone, without you."

When I look at her again, she's crying. She's still by the door, with her hands folded neatly over her chest. She frowns down at her self then nods. "Okay." She says. It takes her a minute, but she retreats back into the other room. I wait until I can't hear her footsteps anymore before I melt into the water.

It scorches my skin, but it feels...alright. I lay in the tub and close my eyes.

Maria, is all I can think.

There once was a time I actually felt for the bitch. That was long ago, back when I only barely knew her and how she could be. Still, I can remember how urgent the need to apologize to her was. I had never held a child in my arms before. I had never had a son or daughter suckle from my breast, but I was pregnant and I couldn't imagine someone as ruthless as Isabella tearing my unborn child from me. I had disobeyed my wife and went to see her, and that was when I saw the true face of the situation.

Maria bared a son for Max, so that way she would have some claim to the throne, to power. She didn't cry because she had never lost a child. She couldn't care less about the child that died in her son's place. Her screams were fake, but believable enough to fool Isabella.

It burns to think that she out smarted the smartest person I knew.

I never want wish the death of child upon a mother, such a pain should not be hoped for, however nothing gave me greater pleasure than watching Maria scream over her dead son's corpse.

It was a whole month before she killed every man in charge of watching him that night. Of course, she did it her way. Tortuous and slow and in front of a crowd.

In her face, I could tell something was different. She had changed somehow. She looked like an old woman, weak and vulnerable.

That's how I knew I got her good. I've begun to kill her already and I'm no where near her.

Sadly, my visions don't give this any justice. I bet it would have been better if I were actually there, watching her cry. It would be the most amazing feeling to kick her and laugh at her struggles. I can already hear her scream my name for mercy.

In my quiet darkness, I begin a fit of edged laughter. It barely sounds like my own but I know deep down that it is.

Oh Maria, _I'm coming for you._

* * *

**Short chapter because I'm tired. **

**YAY. FIRST CHAPTER THOUGH. Already exciting or not? **

**I can't wait till tomorrow, or an hour from now when I nap and charge up my devices, so I can start typing again. **

**I'm sorry this is late for everyone who is wondering. **

**I was grounded. **

**But hey now I'm not so :) **

**Reviews anyone? Please?**

**Since it's summer...you know updates will be non-stop. Unless I get grounded again, but lets not hope for that. **

**Well, Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	3. Chapter 2

**There is a warning on this chapter. Read on with caution. Important messages in the author's note at the end. **

****There is a warning on this chapter. Read on with caution. Important messages in the author's note at the end. ****

******There is a warning on this chapter. Read on with caution. Important messages in the author's note at the end. ******

******I put it three times to make sure you guys see it. *Cute smile* You're welcome.******

* * *

**Chapter 2-**

The girl Rosalie presents me with is young. She's possibly only sixteen, at most. She wore slave chains around her ankles and wrist, both of which Rosalie handed to me before she left us, upon my request. She's tanned, and has curly black hair that reminds me of Maggie's. Her face is round, and her lips pink and plump. She bites them, staring at me with huge, curious brown eyes.

She's too pretty to be a slave. Her skin is much too soft and delicate for the heavy locks around them. She's never been punished hard enough to leave her body with any scars. She must be obedient.

Rosalie mentioned she good. That she was probably the best slave-servant she had to offer. Like Lotus, Bloodrose doesn't offer much education to their slaves. However, the ones who serve guests from different clans, such as myself, can speak a few words in other tongues. Enough for her to understand my requests and understand that I will not be questioned.

She's clean. Rosalie has listened to me well, the girl shines brightly and smells strongly of roses and lilac or whatever oils she used to bathe. Underneath all that shit is the pure smell of her, it's tangy and sweet. Mouth-watering enough, but I've had better meals. She's not at all like the aged blood my parents used to spoil me with, but she will do.

Rosalie delivered her bare to me. She's hiding herself from me, but not well enough. I can see her pink nipple poking from in between in her hands and sex, just barely, behind her dark curls.

I'm not sure what made Rosalie believe sex is what from the poor thing, but I'm glad. I haven't had the pleasure of appreciating anyone's body but my own for a while.

"Name?" I ask, circling her. She darts her head down, as to avoid looking at me. I smile at her ass and wait patiently for a reply.

"Iona." She says slowly.

"Iona," I repeat carefully. "Pretty name." She shutters and I remember that she can only barely understand me. I have to be more simple in my words for her. She shivers at my touch and shies away from me.

"Did Rosalie tell you why you're here with me Iona?" She shakes her head at me. I can't tell if it's cause she doesn't understand or if she's answering me. I suppose it doesn't matter much.

I'll get what I want from her either way.

"Humph." I grunt, pulling her close to me. She gasps and tenses against me. I can't feel her warmth, just the cold of the shackles that bound her. Rosalie never gave me a key so tonight will be a very limited night.

Whether or not I can feel her warmth, I can still smell her, and hear her, and touch her.

Her blood should be warm in her veins, it smells inviting enough, even more so that it's pumping harsher than it should. She's scared and I couldn't be more amused by it.

Her skin is soft, but she isn't responsive when I touch her. Not even when I brush my finger gently over her breast do I get something. Not a shutter, she's stiff and that alone will ruin this for me.

"Relax." I tell her, not sure she can understand.

"Re-lax?" She asks, shaky in my tongue.

"Yes, see?" I move my had swiftly down to her waist and rub her soft skin. "I'm not going to hurt you yet. Just relax." She whines and tries to shake her way from me. "No, Iona, listen. Be quiet for now, and save your tears for when I really hurt you." Regardless my words, tears flood her cheeks and yet again she tries to pull from me.

"No." I'm sure she swears at me in her tongue, but I brush it off. She's merely a slave, her words cannot hurt me.

"Rosalie told me you were a good girl, Iona." I grip her tighter now, sinking my nails into her waist. I don't break skin, but I'm close. She cries out loud enough to upset me and that is when I really think about slapping her. "Are you trying to prove that Rosalie lied to me. Oh no." I click my tongue at her. "That would not be good. Rosalie is trying very hard to make me happy."

When I feel warmth it's her blood spilling into my palms. I crinkle my nose at the sweet smell and scowl her. "Look what you made me do. You ruined it. It was supposed to be slow. It was supposed to be fun for me and look. You've made a mess." I raise my hand to show her. "You're wasting it and I wanted to drain you." She shuts her eyes tight and turns away from the sight.

I don't know what she's saying, but whatever it is, it's followed by teary gasps. I shake my head at her.

I pull her back to me and kiss her neck softly. "Stop crying. Stop crying Iona, and lay in my bed." I release her so she can move but she doesn't. Instead she stands there, covering her self and crying as if I had truly hurt her.

I hadn't even begun.

I yank on her chains roughly and pull her to the bed. "I swear to you Iona, you will need your tears for something better. Stop it. Rosalie told me you'd be obedient." I know she can't understand me, much, but it feels right to talk to her this way. Even if she could understand me, would soothing her really help?

I doubt it. She crawls on to the sheets without much of a choice and quickly gathers some up in her hand to cover with.

"No." She says.

"Yes." I nod, pulling them away from her. "Yes, Iona." I crawl in with her the best I can and part her legs with as much force as I can. I apologize when I hear her bone snap under the pressure there is a short moment of silence before she begins crying out in pain. "It wouldn't have happened if you'd have just stopped crying and obeyed me in the first place."

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" She fusses beneath me.

"Would you like me to break the other one as well?" I threaten. I force her legs open so that I can fit between them. By now, she's watery, salty and gross as she is crying nonstop.

Any sexual interest I had in her whatsoever is gone. My thirst however, isn't. My throat burns at the smell of fresh blood and the vampire in me begs me to be done with her so I can drink and satisfy it.

I shake my head at her a plant a kiss on her salty lips. She shoves me away, still hollering in pain. I grip her face tightly and shove it to one side so that I can see her neck exposed.

Ending her misery seems like the right thing to do.

It seems moral and humane.

Then again, I'd be a liar if I say watching her squirm and fuss isn't at all enjoyable. I almost want to laugh at her.

In a way, I'm doing her a kindness. There are worse ways out there for her to die. Hell, I doubt Rosalie would deny me if I asked to have her whipped to death. Yet, Iona seems to believe that her pain is more painful than anything else in the world right now.

I'll show her wrong.

Slowly, I open my mouth over the soft flesh of her neck. Her pulse is hammering away. As soon as her skin breaks, her sweet, fresh blood floods my mouth.

This is where the real screams start.

I did promise her she'd need her tears for something much worse, whether she understood or not.

I think now, she sees her real purpose. She still fruitlessly tries to shove me off. I sink my teeth in further and try to enjoy the first blood meal I've had in ages.

Gradually, her shoves and hits against me begin to weaken, and soon Iona is limp in my arms. Her heart is still beating though, weakly, but still there. I gather her up in my arms and hold her close against me, still going at her with years worth of hunger.

As delicious as poor Iona may be, she doesn't fill me.

Once she's done, drained of everything she could offer me, I'm still thirsty. I still yearn for more.

I frown down at her dead body in my hands. Her empty brown eyes seem to be staring back at me with a permanent horror. I scowl and throw her body from my bed.

I didn't even get to have half as much fun as I thought I would.

Not even hearing her cries was as satisfying as it should of been. It should have lasted longer.

Next time, I will make the screams last longer.

* * *

Rosalie isn't the one to wake me in the morning and that makes me angry for some reason. As annoying as she may be, it's nice waking up to a beautiful woman standing over you. Now that she isn't here to tug me out from the sheets I sort of miss her. My brother's touch isn't even half as gentle as hers. His voice is harsh and demanding as he calls out my name. Ignoring him isn't even an option.

It's too early in the morning for Demetri have a scowl on his face, too early for him to be upset with me. The sun isn't even even completely up yet. The sky is still sort of blackish-blue.

Still, he looks just about ready to start his day. He's dressed all proper in his Bloodrose suit. Rosalie told me he refused a seat on her council, and eventually Tanya backed away from such matters as well, though she still holds a place of high respect. Demetri doesn't serve her, but he dresses as though he does.

His arms are crossed over his chest and his dark eyes are too bitter for the morning. I wonder if he learned that from his wife; annoying little bitch she is. I scowl right back at him and throw the sheets back over my head.

"Get out." I snarl. He pulls back my sheets violently and yanks me up from the bed so that I'm standing in front of him. I stumble on my wooden leg nearly crashing into him, dizzy and still too tired to catch myself. He doesn't seem to care much as he immediately begins to cuss.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" I frown and try to rub the sleep out of my eyes to properly look at him. It doesn't help to see the anger in his eyes clearly.

"You woke up at dawn to yell at me?" I question. I reach out for my bed once more, only to be set to stand upright once more. I growl at him. "I'm not your child brother. I'm not even the younger one here. Leave me alone. Get out and close the door." I shake him off.

"Rosalie gives you a girl and your first thought was to kill her?" He growls, ignoring my commands. I make a face, remembering Iona, who was still dead on my floor. I glance around him at her. Her face was pale and her eyes still open, just like I left her. "Was it fun for you Sister?" My brother taunts, gripping my arms. "Did you have a nice little laugh hearing her scream?"

"Kind of." I grin lazily at him and shove his hands from me. "Lighten up brother. She was a slave, she didn't matter. She didn't even fill me. I'm still thirsty. As for her screams, It could have been so much better if she'd listen to me. All she did was cry as if life wouldn't be much more cruel to her. Why are you so upset? There are others. Rosalie will supply me with others, until I can pay her back." He shakes his head at me in some sort of disgust.

"Mother would have angered hearing you speak in such a way."

"Mother is dead." I quip. "As well as everyone else I love. Are you done lecturing me Demetri? Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Alice," He grips my shoulders tightly and shakes me roughly in my spot. "Do you hear your self? Is this you talking or-" He pauses to stare into my eyes as if he'd just notice something fascinating. Whatever it is, it doesn't hold his attention for as he lets me go and huff. "Three years." He starts up. "You go 'dead' for just about three years and you come back like this?"

"Would you rather have me dead?" I shake myself from him and retreat back into my sheets. This time he doesn't stop me.

"Don't ever say that. Of course, I don't want you dead. Having you all cynical isn't exactly what I want either."

"Did you expect me to stay the same?" I chuckle. "Little naive Alice, running around believing the world could be a happy place. That joy and peace could be a permanent phase if we all just changed a little. But no, it's not like that at all and it will never be. I bet Maria and William and Max and Marie and Carlisle and whoever the fuck else, had a nice little laugh at that one."

Demetri gives me a sullen face and invites himself to sit beside me. Without my permission he pulls me into a spine crushing hug. I want to enjoy it, even for a second, but it feels so wrong.

I don't hugs or laughter or anything remotely like that.

I want to scratch and claw every man who stands in my way until I get what I want.

"Let me go." I command. "Let me go, or I'll hurt you."

"Will you talk to me?" His voice lightens. It's like the voice you'd use to sooth an angry child. I'm not a child. I shove him off and then slap him until his face his red and bleeding.

"Talk? TALK? You think I want to _talk_?" When slapping him isn't enough I ball my fists up and punch him with everything I have. "What could I possibly talk about?" I feel my angry start up like the night I encountered Ethan. The flash appears, and it's enough to pull me off him.

Demetri looks frightened, He looks between me and her voicelessly. She stands in the middle of the bed and grips him by the neck. She holds him up high, sinking her nails into his flesh.

"How about we talk about how I'm going murder Maria? How I'm going to tear her apart limb by fucking limb. Or even better, how about we talk about Isabella's dead because of me? Do you think that'll make me happy brother?" He makes a choking sound, he's too frightened to do anything else and I love it. I love it all. I love the look of him suffering.

"YOU'LL KILL HIM!" I recognize the annoying screech of Tanya, my now sister in law. I turn and glare at her. She's standing by my open door with a horrified look on her annoying face. The vapor me vanishes, and Demetri falls to the bed, bloody and gasping. She runs over to him, green eyed and frightful.

"He's your brother!" She spits. "What's wrong with you?" He gathers him into her arms and holds him there tightly. "Shh, Shh, you're okay." She tells him.

Somewhere, I should feel bad.

But I don't.

"He upset me."

"That is not an excuse. I knew you were dangerous." She cries. I roll my eyes at her and stand from the bed.

"Get him out of here. If you don't want him to die, i suggest you get him a doctor."

"And just where are you going? This isn't over! Rosalie ought to lock you away!" I walk pass her without much thought. Rosalie wouldn't dare lock me away.

Even if I do deserve it.

* * *

I feel like I'm slowly going insane; like there's a poison in my veins slowly making it's way to my head to take control and there's nothing I can do to stop it that doesn't end with me dead.

I'm not exactly sure how long I sat out in the beautiful Bloodrose garden, but when I open my eyes and look up, I'm not alone anymore.

Brice always has a warm smile on his face. I remember the days when that was all I needed to feel sort of safe and happy again, like not everyone was all bad. His hair is grayer than I remember it and his face has way to many wrinkles. He finally looks like that old man he always claimed himself to be.

He sports a crown on his head and wedding band around his finger. I look at it for a moment confused before I understand.

"Rosalie didn't tell me she wedded." I say, softly. He chuckles and sits beside me.

"I don't blame her." He replies. "She fancies you."

"Mmm," I glare at the sky, trying to picture what it would be like if I had taken Brice's place. Pleasant perhaps. Definitely not all bad. Rosalie would make a good wife to me, but she isn't what I want. "She's married."

"That's your excuse?"

I smile. "No, that's a fact. My excuse is I'm interested in her at all."

"Not even a little?" He nudges me, with a light chuckle. He's only teasing, I remind myself to keep from getting upset.

"No. What gives? I thought you weren't interested in marriage?"

"I forced into it as she way. Sasha can be a little demanding at times. It seemed right. I'm an alpha, whatever offspring we make will be strong."

"And disabled."

"Those don't go together-"

"-Aren't you here uncle? Isn't it like fucking your daughter?" I ask curiously, by his grimace I can tell I'm right.

"Don't remind me." I shrug it off. I suppose incest wasn't all bad, as long as it's for a good reason, such as this one. There's a throne that needs an heir.

It's quiet for a long minute before he talks again, this time, he turns so we're sitting face to face. He runs his fingers over my wooden leg that was bent like my leg so I can hold it against my chest.

"Is it uncomfortable for you?"

"Sometimes." I admit.

"Maria?"

"Who else could have done it?" He gives me an awkward smile and removes his fingers.

"I'll have another one made for you, It'll be of steal and gold, but hollow so it's lighter than this tree you're carrying around. You'll move easier." He suggests. I shake my head at the idea without really thinking of it first.

"No, I like this one. You don't have to give me anything Brice. I like this one. It'll make me stronger. Besides, when I go back to Lotus, people will notice a woman with a golden leg. I don't want Maria to know I'm coming for her until the very last hour."

He laughs at me, and I feel that fire of anger spark in me once more. I try to ignore it. In my head, I can see Isabella ordering someone to smack him. Like she had when he visited Lotus, after he betrayed us and right before Isabella's death. It's a comforting thought. "Is that all you think about?"

"Is that wrong of me?" His laugh fades, until he's sitting in front of me with the straightest face I've ever seen. It seemed wrong of Brice not to be smiling or laughing like a child at something. But I also like the fact that I shut him up for a moment.

"Why haven't you been talking to anyone?" He asks, lightly. I frown at him. "Don't bite my head off, it's just a question. You've been here two weeks and _I _was the one who had to come see _you. _Even if you didn't want to talk to Rosalie, I am still here for you. You could have come to me-"

"You betrayed me once." I remind him. He winces.

"I was wrong. And that was years ago. It's not good to open old wounds Alice."

"My trust for you is limited." He pouts in a way that makes me want to smile and embrace him, but that feeling is quickly gone and replaced with one that makes me want to smack him.

"You realize you admit you trust me some, correct? Even if it is just a little."

"Don't make me regret it." I warn him, his smile returns and he ruffles up my hair like he used to.

"How are your children?" He asks randomly.

I tense. I tried hard not to think of them. Dorotheus will be turning six in couple of months and Mercy would be five.

Dorotheus was two when I sent him to live with Senna. I doubt he even remembers me. I know they've grown and it hurts that I've missed it.

"I don't know." I admit.

"You don't know?" He raises an eyebrow at me.

"No. I honestly don't. Aren't I parent of the year?"

"Is there a reason you don't know?"

"I sent them away when Maria attacked, to keep them safe. It's been a while, I don't have a home to bring them back to just yet. It's best they stay where they are."

"And just _where _are they?"

"Why would I tell _you_ that?" I wonder what they look like now. Especially Mercy, who was just a little baby. I wonder who she takes after, how nice would it be to look at her and see Isabella.

And Dorotheus, he was no longer a baby anymore. He's a young boy. Certainly he has changed from that chubby cheeked little one that clung to me. I wonder if he is tall and strong like Isabella. He must be. He never took after me.

"Do you miss them?"

I glare at him and stand from the grass. "That is a stupid question and I am done talking with you."

He stands with me and grabs hold of my hand, quickly dragging me back to him before I even got anywhere. I snarl at him and shove him off. "Do not touch me."

"Sorry, sorry. I was just wondering...Why don't you bring them here? I mean, it'll be a while before you get to...erm, kill Maria, and you'll need help. Won't you? Don't you want to be with them for the time-being? Rosalie and I are more than welcome to grant them security. She'll guard them with her life. Hell, raise them here if you please. They ought to miss their Mother."

"That's awfully generous of you Brice." I scour at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"You're my friend. And everything around you is killing you. I thought your children could make you smile a little at least. Help you relax." I turn away from him.

"They are safe where they are. And yes, I may miss them, but they are not my number one concern at the moment." He doesn't get the hint to leave me be and follows be back inside the palace anyhow.

"You sound like Isabella. And though that'll help you get you want, it is not a good thing. William tired to raise her to be just as bitter as he is. Until you came, it worked."

"Can you not talk of Isabella?"

"I apologize. Look, Alice, if you don't want to bring the little ones here, I don't blame you-"

"Good. 'Cause I am not bringing them here."

"-But, keep in mind that this is a very safe place for them. It's peaceful here in Bloodrose. Just think about it. You need them to remind you not everything is all bad."

"Thank you Brice, but no thank you. This is not their home. When I take them, I will take them home, to Lotus."

"Alice, home to them, at this age, is wherever you are. A child will follow their parent anywhere."

He stops in his tracks and finally allows me to walk away from him.

* * *

**Second chapter down. **

**A bunch more to go. **

**Now, if you're wondering, **

**YES, Alice has made a HUGE 180 from how she was in the last story. **

**I think it's well deserved though. I mean, no way could she stay the same after everything she's gone through. And in a way, this is a good thing. I mean, If Isabella hadn't died, Alice would never have gotten to be THIS strong. Though she's still rocky it's a lot more than she had in The slave girl and her Alpha. Don't you guys agree? **

**Does anyone understand the title now? **

**Haha, anyone get it? **

**Mercy's cry...**

**If no, then give it a couple more chapters. **

**Reviews? I NEED to know what you guys are thinking about the new Alice. **

**IN ANOTHER NEWS: **

**Updates for other stories such as: **

**Acrobat (I was gonna quit this story but my friend and you guys loves it so damn much I thought why the heck not) **

**The After Death (REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS ONE) **

**Be good to me(Maybe...I've been thinking about this for a long time now) **

**And **

**Teenage Dirtbag(Another MAYBE. I love the idea of that story but I feel like it's been done before. anyone still interested in it?) **

**Will start soon. (As well as new stories I really wanna put other there but probably shouldn't considering how many I have going now such as: The littlest Dove, Perfect Paradise and The King's daughter.) **

**Give me some time to get my ideas together again. I have all summer. **

**It's gonna be fucking update world on my page. Lol. My goal is to update a story every other day or so. wish me luck?**

**Till Next Time**

***Flies away* **


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3-**

I can't remember when exactly I stopped dreaming the sweet, hopeful dreams I had. Even if my dreams weren't always putting me in the best of situations, like they should have, I always used to dream of having Isabella by my side, sort of acting as my own personal shield from the chaos around us. When she was with me, I wouldn't worry or so much as care of the lives being slaughtered about me because she was all that mattered. She'd kiss me and I'd wake and for a second I could remember what her lips felt like on mine. Or maybe she'd talk of peace between us and the world as she used to. As false as the words were, I could hear her voice and feel her breath and that was enough to convince me. Sometimes, we'd just sit and she'd hold me, oblivious to the men dying around us. I had somehow found those dreams to be sweeter than anything else. I didn't care of the people dying. I had my Alpha back for a moment.

Suddenly those dreams stopped, and I was too comfortable in what came next to even notice my Alpha's absents. There was nothing. I floated around in a peaceful darkness when I slept. It was a pleasant change from the chaos of reality. I suppose that's why it didn't bother me as much as it should have. Sleeping, allowing that darkness to take me, was the only moment of my days when I wasn't angry or worried. It felt so nice to be at ease for a change.

However, since I've gotten to Bloodrose, I find that instead of floating around in my blackness, I've begun to dream again.

Not of Isabella. Of course not, the gods are much to cruel to allot me such a pleasure.

These dreams are nightmares and as much as I fuss to wake myself from them, I can't. I can feel the chill of the winter air on my skin and the dead leaves prickle the bottom of my feet just as real as I can feel the soft sheets of my bed and the pillows beneath my head.

It's not the same dream every night, but it might as well be because I always end up right where I am now. In this version, Rosalie is beside me, standing tall in her traditional black and red Bloodrose dress, that was layered thicker for the winter. Her golden hair blew all around her face and her eyes shone green as if she was ready to attack at any moment. She had a fearful face as she peered into the distance. I'm dressed like her, like I belonged to Bloodrose. The suit I wore had a deep red bottom and a black overcoat, with the Bloodrose insignia over my breast. My eyes were blue. I only looked curious as I followed Rosalie's stare.

I saw it immediately. She was staring at the same creature that hovered over Thea that night so many years ago. The sickly looking thing, it moved as if it were wounded till it was a safe distance from the gates of Bloodmoon, far enough so the guards wouldn't see it. I'm not exactly sure why it didn't sense Rosalie and I standing behind it, but I'm glad. Even in a nightmare, I'm not sure what I'd do to stop this thing should it attack.

Rosalie bared her teeth at it and took a defensive step back, whereas I only watched. I'm partly aware that my children lie beyond those gates. Whatever saved my life from this thing when I was a baby, might save theirs as well. Then again, it might not.

I don't know if it's dangerous. As a mother, my first thought is to go with yes, it is. Protect my children from the unknown. It seemed right.

The scary part starts when it dashes forward, faster than any Lycan I've ever know. Rosalie, who seemed so ready to get this thing didn't budge. Only then did it occur to me that wasn't what she was looking at.

"They'll never let us in." She growls. "Senna and Zafrina are closed off from the world. They want no visitors. Let's go back." I don't bother to acknowledge her. Even dream her seemed somewhat stupid. Didn't she just see that thing take off quick as a blink? What if it managed to hurt my children? Without thinking of Rosalie, I follow behind it. "ALICE!" She calls after me, but her voice quickly disappears in the wind as I run.

I feel weightless, as if I were almost hovering from the ground rather than running on it. The creature doesn't slow or even realize that I'm behind it. It doesn't stop once it reaches the gates of Bloodmoon, and the guards don't seem to see it coming. Even when it's right before their them, clear as day. They don't attack, nor do they seem like they're going to. They stand blank at their posts and the thing dashes through them like a ghost. To my surprise, I follow it just the same. The men never even noticed it.

Exactly beyond the walls is the Bloodmoon palace. It's darker than I would have expected from Senna and Zafrina. There are vines creeping up the side and made from black stone. The ground is laced thickly with fog and there's a strange silence in the air.

Only then does the creature stop and sit. It turns to me with the bright glowing orange-red eyes of its and stares directly at me. The palace sits there peacefully. The thing doesn't make a move to go towards it, making me wonder what my reason for flowing it was.

From the outside, I can hear the familiar giggles of Dorotheus and the cries of Mercy. My heart melts to think they are just a touch away, but as soon as I enter the giggles and the cries stop and I find the creature inside, sitting like a dog at Zafrina's feet. Mercy is still just a little baby. She's still wrapped in her blankets and she's still just so small. Dorotheus is the same as remember him, chubby pink cheeks and short, trimmed, hair. They are dead and bloody, but to the creature it is a feast being fed to him by the very people I chose to trust my children's lives with.

* * *

I don't remember what gave me the impression that Senna and Zafrina were trustworthy. Perhaps I only thought so at the time because Isabella trusted them and almost everyone who was trustworthy in her book was the same in mine as well. Even if Zafrina was more than a little sullen towards me, she still had it in her to take concern when she found that I was fighting rather than doing paper work with the council. At the time, it seemed mean. She truthfully told me, I wasn't made for fighting, though I doubt it was because she was afraid of me getting hurt. She was like Isabella in a way, too serious when it came to kingdoms. She came to Lotus, looking for an heir. The woman couldn't care less about me or my children. I could only assume that was just the same as before. It's been almost five years since I met her. She doesn't strike me as the kind of person to change. It leads me to wonder how quickly she'd give away my children should Maria show up in Bloodmoon, for any reason. Or maybe Zafrina would kill them herself. Bloodmoon is said to be a graceful clan, serene and clam, sort of like Bloodrose, but Zafrina doesn't seem to follow her kingdom's customs.

It's easy to remember why I trusted Senna though. No, it wasn't because Isabella was okay with her as well. Senna simply carried a peaceful essence with her where she went. I remember the quiet girl, with wild hair who obeyed her wife without argument. I kind of felt bad for her. She was so sweet in her silence and Zafrina was just so mean. It was obvious Zafrina didn't care for her much, but Senna never questioned the authority of her wife. Another reason it pained me to know Dorotheus and Mercy lay in their care. If Zafrina did decide to harm them, would Senna question her? Or would she just obey like she always had? Senna longed for child and Zafrina couldn't give her one. It was the whole reason behind their visit to Lotus in the first place. She took a great liking to my son in the time she spent there, but she also proved herself weak and obedient. Senna would not fight for them, not if it were against Zafrina.

These thoughts threaten to stifle me the more I think of them, but they are _all _I can think of.

In my visions, I can see Dorotheus, but not Mercy. I know my boy has grown and though it hurts to not be with him, it's nice to see he is strong. Much to my liking, he doesn't favor me. He looks like Isabella, only a little darker. His once pale skin his tan. It's always sunny in Bloodmoon I suppose and Dorotheus still holds his love for the out doors. His eyes even shine purple more than blue. Senna and Zafrina decided to let his hair grow back into the mess of curls they were in when he was two. Now that he's almost six, it's even worse than before. It pleases me that I can see him, but it's disturbing that Mercy is invisible.

My instincts say to check. Is my baby hurt? Is she still alive even? My hands shake to think of it. I can't even imagine what I'd do to Zafrina and Senna if they allowed her to get hurt. As a mother, I don't want to think of it.

I want to be reassured. I _need _to know.

One visit to Bloodmoon won't hurt anyone will it? Senna and Zafrina will keep it secret that I'm alive won't they? They've kept it silent that my children are alive...if they are...this shouldn't be so hard.

I need it quiet so Maria won't start any trouble. She needs to die and her time will come, it wouldn't be fair if she got to prepare for it. I take a deep breath and acknowledge the footsteps I hear approaching. I would think it's Rosalie, but it doesn't smell like her. Rosalie doesn't drink, nor does she bathe her self in perfumes.

"What are you thinking of?" Katrina is Rosalie's older sister. She's nothing like her. Wild, promiscuous and drunk is what Kate is. She's has no responsibility to the throne, or to anything else, and I've never seen a person take more advantage of that. She's rich and beautiful, what more could she need to get what she wants?

"Why are you in my room?" I scowl at her, sitting upright in my bed. It's already night, and I haven't moved since I woke. Strangely, I'm still tired, though I'm not in the mood to sleep.

"Wrong." She smiles, pushing my wooden leg aside so she can lay beside me. I cringe and tell myself it isn't worth it to hurt her. Rosalie would probably refuse me should I rip her sister's smile from her face. "This is my bed and my room and my home. You're just a guest in it. I can come and go as I please. Do you have a problem with that hybrid?"

She doesn't look anything like Rosalie, apart from the blonde hair and brown eyes. Kate's face is longer than Rosalie's, her chin more pointed. Her skin is smoother, and paler. Most of all Kate looks like an adult acting like a child and Rosalie looks like a child acting like an adult.

How could these two be related?

Then again, I asked myself that with Max and Isabella.

"Well, this is my room for the time being. I'd appreciate it if you weren't in it."

"Oh, blah blah blah. I came to talk." My scowl deepens, why is everyone so interested in talking with me? "Rosalie says you don't want to be bothered and strangely enough Brice agrees with her. Tanya is having a bitch fit over you and Mother is already making plans concerning you. I decided, its time I see what all the fuss is about. But look at that. You're just a tiny little woman. Not the hellish creature everyone fears you to be." I'm tempted to return her smile, but I don't. I'm not comfortable with her near me and I don't want her to think it's okay to smile with me as if I trust her because it's not. "You look frightened. You should know, Bloodrose isn't as great as it's thought to be, but then again, we aren't the evil tyrants of Lotus either. If Rosalie says you can trust us not to harm you then take her word for it. She's always been good at that kind of stuff."

"What kind of plans are your mother making?" I frown. "Why was I not made aware that I'm a subject matter?"

"I thought you knew, but then again, you don't talk to anyone so how could you? Do you like wine, Alice? Bloodrose makes fine wine. Especially now that's drawing close to winter, we have a lot of summer wine on our shelves. It's so much sweeter than the rest. Sadly, we make more than we can afford to drink. Do you care to join me for a drink?" She rises from my bed without an answer and pulls me up with her. I try to shake away from her touch, but she doesn't notice or doesn't care as she takes me by the waist and hugs me securely to her.

"I don't want wine!" I cuss, reminding my self yet again not to hit at her. She gasps and acts offended.

"That's a sin." She swears. "If you don't relax and have a drink with me then I won't tell you what mother has planned for you." I shrug.

"I could always ask Rosalie. Or Brice. Or I could go directly to Sasha herself." Her smirk returns wider than before.

"Yes, but they won't be half as fun as I. Calm down, hybrid. I'm not going to bite you. No one is going to bite you, as a matter of fact. After Demetri, I think they all fear you too much. I feel bad for whoever's in your way once you get to Lotus. Come, spending time with me is good for the soul." I scowl and let her lead me out of my room and into the quiet corridors. It's later than I thought.

The ground is cold on my bare foot. I realize this is the first time in a week I've left my room. Time flies by fast. Kate's grip on me is less than comfortable, but she doesn't loosen up. It's like she's afraid I'm going to run. Or fall. Or fall while trying to run. I try not to complain.

The wine cellar is what would have been the dungeons in Lotus. It's only lit by a few torches on the wall, giving it a creepier look than needed. I suppose Bloodrose is much too civil to have prisoners. I bet they spank the criminals and send them home with that. I laugh at the image of Brice spanking a man close to his age. Kate smirks at me and lets me go to search for the her summer wine.

"May I ask what's funny?"

"Why are there not prisoners down here?" I ask, looking around. It's a colossal room, all filled with wine. I could only imagine how nice the oldest of them must be. I bet they have enough to go back to the beginning of Bloodrose, perhaps.

"Because, in Bloodrose we don't keep prisoners in the palace. It would be dangerous to the king and queen should they escape somehow, don't you think? We keep them in a prison building, just outside the palace gates. I could take you there if you like." I shake my head at her and she huffs, shrugging her shoulders. "Suit yourself. I've been there many times. Especially as a child, I like to explore. Gods know I'd die if I were locked up in this place all my days. You seem to like that room a lot."

"I used to explore." I admit to her. "Back when I was younger. I was seventeen perhaps. Whenever I was lucky enough to escape Marie's telling me to sit up right and such. I would drag my handmaiden from one end of the palace to the other. When I got bored of being inside, I dragged her out to dance with the children. They never liked her much." I didn't think it were possible for me to get sadder than I already am. I wonder how much Azah has grown. I wonder if she's still frizzy haired and pale, freckled face.

"Sounds like innocence." Kate says. she turns around with a wine bottle in her hand, without a label. she pops the cork off it quickly and puts it to her nose. She takes a deep breath before smiling and holding it out to me. "Here we are. Taste," She commands, shoving the bottle to lips.

She was right. Bloodrose wine was much sweeter than the one the made in lotus. It was still bitter enough to numb your tongue as you swallowed, but it tasted fine and rich so I wasn't bothered by it.

"Good isn't it?" She pulls it away from my lips to take a gulp of it herself.

"You owe me an explanation." I remind her before she gets herself too drunk to tell me.

She drags me to sit with her on the floor. "Right, right. Sit." I frown and sit with her, hoping she'd cut the bullshit and just tell me.

"I took your drink. Now tell me."

"Mother thinks its a good idea for you to join Rosalie's council." She shrugs. "It's all up to you of course, but I figured you'd definitely say no if she left it to Rosalie and Brice to ask you."

"Her council?" I frown. "Why would I want to be on Rosalie's council. This is her clan, not mine. I couldn't care less of what happens to it."

"Yes, yes. That's true, but you managed to turn the whole Lotus custom upside down, for the better of course, in just a few years. Mother was hoping you'd help Rosalie do the same. I don't know if you know you noticed but we are a kingdom of pussies and weaklings."

"I didn't change lotus. That wasn't me. That was Isabella. And she's...not here anymore so- It's a foolish Idea really."

Kate's high pitched laughter rings throughout the entire cellar. I'm surprised nothing broke at the sound of it. "Isabella? Really, now? No. Alice, it was you. Isabella wouldn't have changed shit if you hadn't come along. I never got the honor of meeting her, but she sounds like she was very loyal to the traditional lotus way until you came. All Mother is asking is you teach Rosalie to rule like you do...did...will do again. Bloodrose is only beautiful on the surface. Dig a little deeper and you see all our flaws. I dodged that bullet. I couldn't deal with it."

"I'm not the same person I was when I sat on my throne. I'm sure things will never return the same. I lost my crown because I was the way I was. Is that what you want for Rosalie?"

She goes silent for a moment and stares directly at me. After a moment she shrugs. "What changed?"

"A lot. I don't want to talk about it."

"Is it your king's death?"

"I'm done talking with you." I state. I begin to stand, but Kate grabs hold of my arm tightly.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to hold my tongue at all. It's a good idea. I promise you. Not only will you be helping Rosalie, but you'll also get to know what's going on the the other kingdoms. Since the whole Lotus thing, almost all trade has been cut. Moonstone still trades with us, just a little. It will soon stop as well since they support Maria and we don't. Lotus is threatening a war we aren't prepared for-"

"What war?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"See, that's why you should join the council. You'd know these things."

"What war?" I repeat. "She cannot throw my kingdom into a war!"

"She can and she will. She's been threatening us and Bloodmoon. They send messages every now and then asking to leave them out of anything Maria has against us, but Maria is basically her own thing right now. She thinks because she has the strongest clan, physically, she can just bully us into getting what she wants."

"Can she?"

"Sadly, yes. It's not long before she goes to Bloodmoon-"

"She's going to _Bloodmoon_?" I exclaim. My heart beats ten times faster in my chest. I feel all the blood leave my face. Kate gives me a strange look and nods.

"Yeah, eventually she will. She's already sending her men there, she came once, but quickly left upon Rosalie's refusal to accept anything from her. Bloodmoon has been denying her as well. Soon she will go there to try and talk them into joining her, if she hasn't already."

"She can't go there." No. No. No. Gods, no. "She can't."

Kate's suspicious frown deepens. "Okay, you look as pale as a ghost. Relax, just breathe for a second. Is there any reason you're so panicked about her going to-"

"My children are there. She's can't- I-I...I have to go there before she does." I push pass her and rush out of the cellar."

* * *

**That felt right. **

**You know, to have them in the cellar, because Kate likes to drink so much...**

**Did it feel right to anyone else? Because it did to me. **

**I'm really pushing to have Kate active in this story, so you guys can expect to see more of her. **

**So is this dun dun dunnn worthy? I think it is. **

**DUN DUN DUNNNNN O.o **

**Maria is really causing some havoc here. Lets just hope she stays far away from Dorotheus and Mercy. **

**Anyways. **

**Third chapter down, many more to go. I must say, I am SO excited for the next chapters, so you guys should be to. Like REALLY excited. Super, mega, ultra excited. Lol, I can't think of anymore because it's near 4am and my brain is putty. **

**Reviews anyone? Yes? No? A little? **

**Eventually I will fix the numbers to line up with the chapters. It's really bugging me. Anyone else feel that way? **

**Well, till next time. **

***Flies away* **


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- **

**Rosalie's POV-**

The huge, rock-like man stared back at me seemingly thoughtless. His eyes are dull, and bored, as if he couldn't care less he was in the presents of royalty or better yet, two people who could kill him. Brice stared back at him just as bored and weary. My husband was more than tired of Maria and all her knavish antics, this was just another one.

Sometimes I wish I had half the strength Alice has, so that when situations like this one arose, I could just kill whoever's not pleasing me at the moment and walk out without a care. I doubt Maria could keep trying to get to me so hard if that happened. Maybe if I could just scare her into leaving us alone...

Not possible. Maria has no fears that any living man can tell you of.

This is the fourth man she's sent this month and I am more than fed up with it. Her schemes started out out slow, sending ravens and hawks to deliver messages about meeting up with me and my new king; since she would need permission to come here being that I threatened war should she just show up. For whatever reason, she decided to respect my boundaries for the time being. Though, I am not sure of how long it will last. With us running into month four, she's quickly upping the values of her gifts, as persuasions.

She sent young maiden whores over for Brice. Wines, silk dresses and wild flowers for me. I wasn't flattered or impressed. Brice was less than happy with my decision to send them all back, my husband actually _wanted_ his whores. I bet if it were only him, Maria would be here already, sucking what she can from us. It didn't matter much to me, Maria cannot buy us with flattery. Now the messengers. She's really pushing me and if I know Maria as well as I think I do, I know she will stop at nothing.

The man she sent looks like a villain with his bronze skin, thick mustache and beard, and muscular arms, all but bursting through his shirt. He didn't look high born. He dressed in what should be considered rags. It made me wonder just how well she was paying her little messengers to risk their lives...if she was even paying them at all. She probably just pointed a knife at him and told him to do as she commanded...

Or not. Fear isn't what's in this man's eyes. They are only dark and thoughtless. Perhaps she offers him a reward for his hard work, once the job is done of course. Whatever Maria was giving him, it wasn't enough to buy him new cloths or to spark some sort of interest in his eyes. He isn't eager to return to whatever awaits him.

"The Ruler of Lotus asks for your visit madam." He says, fluently in my tongue. I wonder how long she's had him. Long enough to teach him my tongue? In that case, why would she dress him in such filthy clothing? "She asks for you to come with as many arms as you may please, whatever makes you comfortable, but she only wants to discuss future plans with you. You and your party will not suffer any harms while on her land." I scowl at him. I doubt it's intimidating because his facial expression doesn't change like I hoped it would.

"It isn't her damn land. And if she sends another one of her disciples here I'll-" He raises a thick eye brow at me.

"You'll?" I huff. I'm actually not sure what I'll do. I honestly do not want to get involved with Maria in anyway. Threatening her won't work because she's practically fearless and will challenge me to step forward on my words. My kingdom isn't half as strong as hers when it comes to Lycans. Getting worked up with her will only end badly for me.

"Go back to your Ruler and tell her we aren't interested in any offers she has to make." Brice says smoothly. "We will not step foot on the land she has stolen nor will she come here herself. This has gone on long enough. She must understand; all ties with the Lotus Moon clan has been cut until a member of the Swan family sits on the throne once more."

Maria's disciple stands and nods. "Understood. Though I can not promise she will stop trying. Lotus has a new family in it's palace, she says it is time you let go of this nonsense and join her. History shall forget the Swans in time. Her glory however, will never be forgotten. She urges you to reconsider. Should you, she's expecting you at anytime you wish to show. She offers you _change_; and trade."

"She speaks of change?" I scoff at my husband, who is just as un-amused with this man's words as I am. "Her, out of all the people."

"She-" He starts up again.

"You don't need to tell us again." I snarl. "You need to leave."

"-Should you still reject, she threatens to simply take from you what she wants." I scoff. _She _threatens _me. _Huh. After all the hell she's caused she has a lot of nerve.

"The answer is still no. Leave now. I'll be kind enough to offer you wine for your journey, but then you _must_ leave. I do not want anyone who follows behind Maria in my home."

"Tell Maria her threats do not rattle us." Brice finishes. "Take your wine and leave."

He stands still, staring us both down for a long moment. I wish Brice would growl at him, flash some teeth maybe. As frightening as this man may be, I bet Brice could be worse if he truly tried. But that is not civil, and, unwanted or not, the man is a guest in my kingdom. We are not savages. We do not try to scare our guests. Nor will we harm him.

"Now." I snarl, resisting the urge to bare my teeth. The fucker grins and turns on his heels and heads towards the doors. "Make sure he leaves." I tell my guardsmen. They nod and follow him out, hopefully all the way out of the damn kingdom.

"She'll come here, you know." Brice says once we're all alone. "What will you do then?"

Brice has it in his head that I'm the 'decision maker' in this relationship. I'm not even the strong one. And the questions he expects me to answer are far beyond me. I feel like a child in a crown, yet he looks at me like I'm all wise and ever knowing. I forgot why I wanted this, but now I see why Kate didn't. I don't feel I have the right answer for anything, and there are no more oracles to ensure the decisions we make are the best ones. It's strange and unsettling to play 'Fate' with the lives of the innocent people who stand with me.

_Just **what** will I do?_

I screw up my face as I think about it. Brice was right, as always. Maria _will _come, eventually. She'll come once she has absolutely nothing left to offer me; not even words. I fear that will be sooner rather than later. What of us then? Bloodrose isn't prepared for a war against Lotus, and we certainly do not have any allies. Giving in to her seems smart, but what would be the cost of that? How many lives will she take to get what she wants from my kingdom and leave?

"Nothing. If she comes here, Alice surely will not let her leave with a head." I smile at the thought. Alice had grown ten times more frightening than when I last saw her three years ago. Her little body had taken it's tolls and they've made her stronger. She's muscular, certainly not the slightly skinny little thing I saw sitting on a throne. She's has something in her eyes, some thing dark and for that reason I worry for her. Still, I believe she'll be okay enough to have some sort of plan for when she sees Maria again, whenever that is.

"Don't say 'surely'. Alice isn't in a stable condition." He frowns. "She needs to talk to someone, instead she locks her self in her room doing what?"

"Thinking about how to kill Maria." I answer, half witted. My husband grunts rather than smile.

"Not even the Gods know what she will do. I need a real answer. A 'sure' answer. Maria is brave enough to step foot in front of you. Are you just going to give into her? This...'sending people to us' won't last much longer."

"Of course I won't give into her. I hold my word. I want nothing to do with her."

"And if a war breaks out between you two?"

"She won't live long enough to get that far. Alice will-"

"You have a lot of faith in Alice don't you?" He gives me a weird frown, narrowing his eyes and everything. If I hadn't known him better I would have sworn he was upset with that.

"Is that a problem?" His frown gradually grows before he grunts again.

"Alice doesn't seem to like you the same way you like her. Even if she did, after what she's endured, do you really think it's smart to have her fight for you?" He states rather bluntly.

"It has nothing to do with that." My face involuntarily heats up in a blush. I try to frown it off, but i bet he's already seen it. And already, he's judging me for it. "I just think Maria needs to go and Alice can do it is all. There's nothing wrong with that!"

"There's everything wrong with that. Alice doesn't need to kill anyone she needs to heal. Encouraging her to go after Maria isn't helping that. Every night she has to wait just makes her angrier."

"I want to give her what she wants. She already doesn't like me. I think it's best if we just bare it out for a while." Speaking of Alice, she stumbles in with bloody hands and is clearly upset. Her usually brown eyes shone blue in her rage. Even on one leg and limping, she still manages to strike a fear in me. Never in a million years should someone so small and fragile be so frightening.

In her hands she clutches tightly to the severed head of Maria's disciple. Brice stood up before I did, already glaring at Alice. She stopped at our thrones and threw the thing at our feet. I tried hard not to squeal, or vomit, but a small sound escapes me. She shot me a glare.

Alice huffs loudly and twitches in her spot. "So it's true." She exclaims, balling her hands into tight fists by her side. "Maria is really doing this. _Honestly, _Rosalie. Lotus is my clan! I have right to know what's happening to it. Who the hell was he? Why did she send him? And if you lie, I'll know!" I tensed in my spot. I fear I looked like an idiot all speechless when she demanded an answer. As if she didn't hate me enough-

Brice growls. His Alpha making an appearance at the wrong time today. He bares his teeth at Alice, who didn't even bother to give him a second glance. She was focused on me. "What made you think it was a good idea to behead the man? Don't you think Maria will take that as a threat? Don't you think about anything before you do it?"

"He recognized me. Don't you think Maria's little man would have told her? What do you suppose she would have done then? I'm sure war wouldn't just be a threat." She snarled back. "She would have had the council behind her before you could even blink. She'd deem you unfit to rule and the same thing that happened in Lotus would happen here. Gods, she's ruining everything!"

"And just what do you think she'll do now?"

"Brice, he really didn't matter. I don't think Maria cares about one life." I try to interject, but in the heat of their moment, I'm just about invisible.

"We have tried very, _very _hard to avoid making it seem like we were threatening her. She's a ticking bomb we don't want anything to do with." He stepped to Alice. I'm not sure who I feared for more. If they fought, I don't know who'd win. "She'll take it as a threat."

"So what? She needs to be threatened. If you can't take her, the worse possible thing is to let her know. I thought you of all people would have known that! Let her make her threats. I bet you, they are empty."

"Maria doesn't make empty threats."

"Only a scared man would make threats!" Alice shot back. "She's from Lotus Brice. _Lotus. _If she really were going do something, she wouldn't have made a threat. She would have just done it. Remember when she was coming after Isabella and I? She had a whole army ready in less than a few months. Not to mention, she practically took over Bloodrose and got Moonstone on her side. It didn't take her long to actually show up. I _tell _you, her threats are empty. Instead of worrying about her declaring war, why don't you try to figure out why she's making empty threats?"

Brice silenced. Somehow she has managed to get him thinking for a moment, something I could never do. While he is silent, she take the moment to turn back to me. She pointed a threatening, bloody finger at me and screeched.

"Why didn't _anyone_ tell _me_ what she was doing to _my clan_? Why didn't you tell me she was threatening..._everyone_? I would have listened. I've been here for a month now, and the only thing I've talked of was Maria. Don't you think you should have told me?"

"I was going to!" I say quickly. "I really was. Mother thought it would be smart to-"

"Kate told me!" She snarled, shoving away Brice so she come closer to me.

"Kate?" I frown. "When did you talk to Kate?" And why Kate? I've been trying to talk to her since she got her and she chose Kate? Kate doesn't even try to help us in slightest. Yet, she's the one Alice chose to talk to. My drunk, reckless sister. How unfair.

"Last night. She offered me wine. Does it matter? Someone should have told me sooner."

"So you'll join Rosalie's council then? Since, you have such good ideas on how to handle Maria-" Brice said sharply. He gestured to the disciple's head that was still resting on the ground. Alice seemed to calm down for a moment before nodding.

"If you get me to Bloodmoon, before Maria. Yes. I'll join and do whatever you ask me to. I just need to go to Bloodmoon first. Now would be great."

"Bloodmoon? Oh no." I shook my head.

It wasn't so long ago Zafrina sent us angry letters asking to be left out of the feud between Maria and I. Bloodmoon wanted nothing to do with our affairs. It seems Maria is threatening her also. Probably worse than what she's doing to us. Bloodmoon is a strong clan, mentally.

Victor used to call them a clan of roots and trees. They are very in touch with the 'spiritual' side of life. That meant, they ran around half naked in their jungle of of a Clan, 'mediated' for most of their days and found their strength by hunting animals and eating leaves. Surprisingly, they all co-existed better than any of the other three clans put together. They are peaceful and gracious, but of course, Zafrina took the title of King after her Father passed and Senna got her Mother's crown as well. Zafrina was much more modern than her clan. She's wild. Mother jokes she should have been born in Lotus because she had a temper and a nonchalant eye turned to everything else happening around her.

Sadly, Zafrina did not hold it in her to turn her clan around. She couldn't force them to become the violent savages of Lotus. They had an army, of course, every clan does, but believing you won't get hurt on the battlefield if you simply prayed to your gods and mediated to keep your mind at ease won't save them from death when it comes. Zafrina calls it bullshit. They had a good mindset but lacked the strength.

She knows what she is capable of. Fighting isn't it.

"What do you mean no?" Alice growled.

"I mean no." I said. "I can't get you there, even if I tried. Zafrina is very closed off from the world. No one just enters her kingdom. I think she made it very clear that we need to stay away from her in her last letters. I don't think she's joking. She wants nothing to do with anything or anyone."

"What do you want from Bloodmoon anyways?" Brice asked. "You being alive won't change Zafrina's mind."

"I don't care about changing her mind. Let her stay closed off for all I care. I just want my children. I'd feel better knowing they were here with me."

"They're in Bloodmoon?" Brice gasped before I could. "Why the hell would you send them there?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. It actually still did, until now. If Maria is threatening the clan then how long until she finds out they are there? You said yourself, Zafrina wants nothing to do with this. I fear she might just hand them over to avoid conflict."

I cringe in my seat. "Perhaps, Zafrina is unpredictable. When it comes to your children, she thinks you are dead. It seems likely that she would-"

"Don't say that!" Alice growled. "I put my trust in them, if they betrayed it then-"

"They think you are dead Alice," I try to reason with her, but she's not having it. She shakes her head furiously at me.

"That is not an excuse. I asked them to protect my children and as far as I know, they agreed. An agreement is an agreement. They can't just stop caring for them because I 'died'. Dorotheus and Mercy are _my _children; the only thing of Isabella that I have...that _lotus_ has. It's essential they stay alive. Find a way to get me to Bloodmoon Rosalie, or I will kill every man who stands in my path until i find them myself."

* * *

**I wanted to go on, but i changed my mind :(**

**The chapter felt short-ish to me, but that could just be me.**

**Other news: **

**GUESS WHAT GUYS? I'm on tumblr now. :) Yay, I'm thinking about posting the pictures of how I think everyone looks (Or close to it) On my page or something. (Once I learn how). **

**OH, or even better you guys can find me and show me what YOU think everyone looks like (or close to it.) I'm curious. *Over excited grin* Or even better, I could start posting stories there. I doubt they would be written as FF's though. Mmm, it's a work in progress. **

**I'll go into more detail on that as my tumblr skills develop. **

**I can't wait to be considered a tumblr-er...er...? Tumblr user? Tumblr person? Ahh, yeah.**

**IN OTHER NEWS: **

**If tomorrow goes well for me, (I have a doctor's appointment and I'm very nervous cause..I think it's obvious as to why. Pray to Zeus for me maybe? Lol.) then I'll start updating Teenage Dirtbag again(A LOT of you guys seemed to miss that story) as well as FINALLY start, The After Death. (Maybe even 'Be good to me' as well) But it all depends on how it goes at the doctors because it could seriously alter my mood to do anything. **

**Even though I'm plotting to start up those stories again, I can't promise updates for them will be frequent. My attention is mostly divided between Mercy's Cry and Acrobat. **

**It feels like summer is almost over and I haven't done anything at all. :( How disappointing. I remember writing Slave girl last summer, I used to update like three times a day. What changed? *Sighs in self pity* **

**Anyways, I've already started on the next chapter for this, so I'll go work on that now I guess. **

**leave me a review on what you think? **

**Personally I see Alice kind of as a HUGE Mama Bear. Anyone agree? **

**Any predictions? Like I said before, I'm really excited for the coming chapters, I really want to know what you guys think. **

**More soon. **

**Till next time**

***Flies away* **


	6. Chapter 5

**Before I start, Can I just say I'm sorry? I was being _so _lazy. I spent just about a week binge watching Orange is the New Black. Then, I was suffering from withdrawal because I wanted more but like...there was no more. I couldn't even find any sneak peeks to the next season. :( It sucked. Then I spent another week reading A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin as well being a lazy bug just because...**

**So I'm sorry you all must suffer because the author of this story is a lazy MoFo.**

* * *

**Chapter 5- **

"You seem to have a problem taking _no _for an answer." Is Brice's response when I ask him to provide me with the transportation I'll need to get to Bloodmoon. Whether or not I cherished the friendship we once I had, I expected he would have taken it into account before making rash decisions. He didn't. He frowned at me like I was some child, unable to make big decisions for myself. He shook his head and Immediately said no. "I understand you have a habit of fighting for what you want, even more so now, but Rosalie told you no for a reason and it will remain as such no matter what hour of the day you decide to ask."

I admit I was being just a tad bit unreasonable by asking him at dawn, way before he was even dressed, but I figured if he were weary I'd have a better chance of him saying yes. Then, I'd be able to leave out by noon or such.

If anything, it made my chances even dwindle further down. He seemed bitter and old. I suppose it took work to become that cheerful Brice that smiles at everyone. He wasn't happy and I'm wasn't helping.

"Of course I have a problem with it, Brice." I fum. "I believed you of all people would understand."

"You believed wrong." He says, rising from his sheets. "If it were anywhere else, I would send you in a heart beat. You know that, don't you? Zafrina has, very strictly, demanded that we stay away from her. She fears Maria as we do, especially now when Maria has allied with Moonstone. Bloodmoon is the only clan not out to kill us at the moment. Rosalie and I would like it to remain so. We will respect Zafrina's wishes and leave her be. Gods forbid she become agitated for any reason. The world would be at war. Do you understand Alice?"

"There will be no war." I say, stubbornly. Brice raises an eyebrow at me and shakes his head.

"If you have so much to say about that then why don't you join us during meeting? We could use a mind like yours."

I scoff. "Just because I understand your reasons for staying away from Bloodmoon doesn't mean I'm willing to accept them. I want my children Brice. Don't make me go there alone, It'll take months longer than necessary. I cannot take no for answer. No isn't even an option here."

"Yet, it is your answer." I want to bash his head in. Why can't he see what I saw? I see danger, and I'll be damned if I let Maria take them away from me like she has everything else. I have enough reasons to want to kill her. Anymore anger towards her name and I'll explode.

Brice offers me a sympathetic smile that I'm sure he doesn't mean since he wasn't trying to understand at all. "Why don't you busy yourself Alice? It'll keep all these thoughts away for a while. Tanya says Demetri should make a full recovery after you attacked him. Go see him. Go make amends with him. He is your brother I'm sure he won't have any trouble forgiving you for what you've done. He'll heal faster hearing you apologize."

I twitch. "You expect me to put my children aside when they could be in danger so Demetri will feel better? You're kidding right? Demetri can fuck off and so can you." I raged. I'm not sure if I yelled at him, but it seems very likely that I did. "How could you not understand? You were the one who told me I'd be happier if they were here with me! How dare you go back on your words."

"That was before I knew they were in Bloodmoon. I'm sure you're overreacting to nothing. Zafrina will take care of them."

"How can you be sure if you won't even check?"

"You're not going to Bloodmoon Alice; not with my permission anyhow." I growl at him. I feel like I'm going to hit something, or worse, cry.

"Regardless your agreement, don't you think she'd understand if I were the one to show up?"

"An agreement is as such. And no. I don't think she'd understand. If anything, she'd become even more angered knowing Maria's influence is what compelled you to go. You know how she is. She doesn't want to hear anything of Maria." He is right, of course. Zafrina didn't care much for the other clans. In her eyes, if we all wanted to kill each other then she'd just sit back and watch the show. She stayed neutral by keeping her opinions to herself. I suppose that's how the clans kept from fighting for all these years.

"What about the elders council? Isn't she still involved in that? If she is, isn't she required to show up should they call a meeting? Avoiding Maria is practically impossible."

Brice pauses for a moment, thinking before he gave me an answer. "If the elders council is still as it should be, no doubt she has pulled her people out. Who knows though. As far as I see, they've broken up. They haven't called a meeting since Isabella's death." I cringe. "You could imagine how horribly wrong that last one went."

"Yes." I agree.

"The world is a mess thanks to her. We were all ready to put this aside and she made it worse. Can you blame Zafrina for not wanting anything to do with it?"

"You never know," I tell him. "She's quiet. Quiet is dangerous at times. She could be plotting to kill us all, maybe with a snap of her finger. Who knows. _She's quiet._"

His response is a chuckle, deep and still raspy from the morning. "Is that how you're thinking Alice? Smart, but unnecessary. Bloodmoon is a weak and strange clan. Their people eat leaves and waste their lives mediating. They aren't violent as you'd think upon meeting Zafrina." His chuckle quickly turned into a laugh. "They aren't ones I'd worry about."

"So why do you care if she's out to kill you?" I glare at him. "If she's weak she's hardly a threat."

"We don't need another enemy. Moonstone is strong because they have weapons far more advanced than the rest of us. If we label Zafrina as an enemy then we have to start thinking about all her possible moves. Teaming up with Moonstone is one of them. I think you already know what would happen if she sided with Lotus."

I sigh. I don't know what other answer I expected to get. Of course that's what would happen. "You're such a Mother." Brice smiles. "You think like a Mother, an overprotective one. The world is a battlefield when you have kids. If Dorotheus and Mercy weren't there I doubt you'd question Zafrina's motives."

I scowl at him. "So you'll send me then? Since you know how I think..."

"No." I growl, annoyed. "But I'm willing to compromise with you."

"Compromise?"

He nods. "I'll send Zafrina a letter, explaining the situation and we'll see where it goes from there. As a grateful thank you, you'll attend Rosalie's meeting today at noon. And I don't mean for you to just sit there. You will talk and give opinions like the rest of us."

My blood boils at the sound of his words. My face quickly became heated. "_A letter? _A letter doesn't even begin to touch how urgent this is to me. A letter doesn't set the tone."

"Then I'll be sure to put how urgent it is." He jokes. "A letter is what you get. Don't ask for more or you'll get nothing."

"And what if it gets into the wrong hands?" I begin to rage again. "What of my children then?"

"You worry more than necessary. It won't. Besides, a letter is quicker than traveling yourself. I promise you. I'll send it off to today and you'll be at Rosalie's meeting. Right?" He holds out his hand for me to shake, but I only glare at it.

"I'll be there, to watch you write the letter and send it."

"Then you'll sit by Rosalie and get through the meeting."

I let out a deep breath and nod. If this is the best I can get, I'll take it.

* * *

Rosalie's council room is a small area in the palace. It wasn't guarded by anymore than three old knights who wore their Bloodrose armor proudly and looked at me with stren and hard eyes. They didn't speak any words I understood and I didn't bother trying to figure it out because what words they had to say to me didn't matter. They opened the door to a soft brown room, practically bare expect for the creamy white drapes that swayed by the windows and a long black table in the middle. All the eyes that occupied it turned to me at once. Curious, relieved and astonished. It seems I'm the guess of honor. I seem rather loud as I walk over to join them in quiet. It's almost sad seeing her 'council' only consisted of just about five people. Only three of which I recognized.

Brice, who's head of the table, like a king should be. He looks strange in head seat. He didn't seem as though he was made to wear a crown. He isn't the type of man to look so serious at a meeting. I hadn't even expected him to be in head seat considering who I've known him to be. Brice isn't that man who'd easily easily accept being in charge of so much, forced or not. Just a few years ago, a simple re-marriage seemed unfathomable for him. I expected he would give the seat to Rosalie or leave it empty all together. Then, I expected to be greeted with an annoying grin when I entered. Yet here he is, serious as can be. The more he scowls the more I can see his old age forming a permanent stay on his face. He points at a seat for me to take; right beside Rosalie.

She looks frustrated already. The meeting hasn't started yet and already she has a stack of paper she was rampaging through like she had lost something in it. For the first time I actually feel the need to offer her a smile. I know how stressful it can be to have too much to look at once, even after you've put aside the less important ones. I don't smile at her, but I don't turn away from her gaze either and that's enough to redden her cheeks a little.

Across from us is Sasha. Rosalie's mother, who almost looked as young as her daughters. It's scary how much she looks like Rosalie, but her smile reminds me of being near Kate. It was so uncaring as if nothing in the world mattered, yet in the kindness her eyes she looked stressed and tired. It makes me wonder what went wrong with Kate. Sasha is said to be a kind and fair woman. I haven't had the pleasure of experiencing it for myself. She looks kind enough and proper. Even her expression seemed to be practiced to perfection. Not too overly polite or and not too rude either. Just the right amount of perfection. This whole thing was her idea. I wonder just how much like Rosalie she is. Maybe she was too shy to come and ask me herself. Or maybe she has a bad habit of stumbling over her words like Rosalie does.

The other two faces are unknown, but both Male. The first is a young blond man with lean muscle and strangely set face. He doesn't smile at me, but he stares, especially at my wooden leg. His eyes are dark when they meet mine. I raise my eyebrow at him questioningly, but whatever he has running through his mind about me, he doesn't share.

The other man is much older. He has a harder face than the young man beside him and tiny serious dark eyes. His face is wrinkled and sagged in odd places. His veins stick out from his hands, which are clasped tightly together in front of him.

Isabella had about ten advisers at her meetings, whether she followed their ideas or not, and sometimes that wasn't enough for larger decisions. Rosalie barely had six, counting myself. No wonder her mother wants me here so badly.

"This is small." I mumble taking a seat beside Rosalie, as promised. "Where is everyone?"

"This _is _everyone." Rosalie corrected gently. "Anyone who served my father is either dead or gone because they support Maria's reasoning. 'it's what Victor would have wanted for this kingdom' they tell me. It's my kingdom now and anyone who wants to support that tyrant of a woman can leave. I can't have anyone like that here."

It couldn't be that much...could it?

"It's hard to find people wise enough to advise us; now with the elders council not calling meetings as frequently." Sasha adds. "Rosalie has a problem with trust, I get who I can."

"Okay." I say. "This is fine. I guess. Fewer voices, easier decisions, right?"

Rosalie smiles and shook her head from side to side. "No. It's harder believe it or not. I try to make sure I have everyone of importance here. Sine our Alpha is Brice, we need not worry of the pack, unless he says so. That's Jasper Whitlock, he's our Lycan trainer. I like to keep updated on my could be army." Blond boy holds out his hand for me to shake. As soon as I accept, he grips my hand tightly and squeezes with much force.

"You have a light hand, but strong grip. Odd combination. I heard you cut a man's head straight off with nothing but your bare hands." I frown and pulled away from him.

"Sort of." I answer. "What's it to you?"

"Strength. Strange for a cripple."

"I am _not _a cripple."

"Wooden legs say otherwise." He peeks down at it once more then gives me an upsetting smile. I begin to bare my teeth at him when Sasha interrupts.

"And that's Rosalie's grandfather, my Father. We like to have him here. He's lived through both King Ermanno's reign and king victors. Now he lives to see Brice on throne. He's seen much. All the way from the death of the last hybrid that walked the earth, until you and your siblings of course..and well...now your children as well. He is wise in his age. I think it's good to have Rosalie around older minds. It's good wisdom for her. She'll learn not to make the same mistakes." The old man softens a little and holds out his hand for a gentler shake than what Whitlock provided.

"Not even the old hybrids were like you." He says. "You couldn't hold a conversation with them they way they were so vicious. Look at you. Sitting around a table like _a person._"

I scowl at him and pull my hand away. "Yes, I've been told I'm strange."

"Alice doesn't want to be looked at like she's a weird, crippled monster. She's already frowning. Stop it!" Rosalie huffs. I lean back in my seat, sort of grateful she told him to stop. Who knows just how far he would have taken that. "We're here to talk about the kingdom. I don't know where to start."

"How about with if you sent my letter?" I turn my frown to Brice. He holds up an envelope sealed with wax and their insignia. "And you remembered-"

"To state how urgent it is?" He cuts me off with a small laugh. "I wrote it three times just for your sake Alice. Zafrina won't miss it."

"And it will be going _directly _to Zafrina right?"

"And her advisers, yes."

"Her advisers?"

"Don't worry of it. Zafrina won't let anything happen to them." I let out a shaky breath. It was supposed to calm me but instead it just made me even more nervous.

"And you'll send it when?"

"When this meeting has ended, relax. I'll let you pick the bird if it helps you." I glare at him. He's blackmailing me and it's working. I nod and keep quiet about it. Let him tease me all he wants, as long as the letter gets sent.

"Where do you want to start?" Rosalie asks. "You can pick anything you want. I don't know what I'm doing wrong-"

"Tell me about Maria." I interrupt. Rosalie gives me a hard frown, as do Sasha.

"This meeting isn't about Maria." Sasha says sternly. It seems we share the same feelings towards the king slaying bitch. Just hearing her name makes her upset or even angered.

"Besides, there is nothing to be said about that woman." Rosalie adds. "She's in Lotus, sitting on your throne. Probably pushing Moonstone around to her pleasure. Who cares? You're here to get stronger so you can go put an end to her aren't you? Worry not of what she does in her final days."

"I want to know." I growl. "I _need _to know. What is she doing? Tell me of her. I can't help you in your kingdom if I don't know what's happening in mine."

With a sigh Rosalie reluctantly pulled nearly a decent sized stack of papers from the bottom of her pile. "I ought to burn these." She says. "They're letters from her and Moonstone alike. They speak of change and Maria's reign. It's all foolish of her really."

"Alice?" Rosalie goes on. "Don't waste your time worrying about Maria. Giving her the attention she wants won't do anything but make you crazy."

Ignoring her words, I snatch them out of her hands and hungrily skim through them. Maria's handwriting is sloppier than I would have imagined. As I struggle read her words I can hear her voice in the back of my head just as smooth and villainous as the night I dared apologize to her. I can see her on my throne, though it's gone and the replacement is probably much different than the ones Isabella and I sat upon. In my head she looks upset, maybe because she didn't get to skin me alive as she wanted. Or maybe because she hadn't gotten to rape me first.

Or maybe the people of Lotus are too much for her.

Her words are pleading in a sense, almost begging, but I doubt Brice and Rosalie read them as such. She's not demanding Rosalie visit, she's asking. In her own cruel way, she's _asking. _She's not threatening them with the strong army of Lotus Lycans. She's not even mentioning the steel weapons she must have since she's allied with Moonstone.

Her words are simple, _Refuse me and I'll come myself. I'll take what I want. _

Each letter is the same in different words, I'm reading the fifth one when i finally understand. From me erupts a deep and intense laughter. The whole table jumps at the sound, even little parts of me began to stiffen and question the sound as well. My face hurts not after long, but I can't stop. It's just too funny.

"She has no moves." I explain. "None. She's stuck. How do you get stumped in a game you started?" I giggle. "It's hilarious really. You should have heard how she talked to me. She struck a fear in me and now, _she's stuck. _I mean, I would have expected fire works or something before she ran out of moves, especially now with Moonstone on her side, but no. Maria just has words and nothing else." My laughter comes to abrupt end. I pause, recomposing myself before looking through the rest of the letters. There had to be fifteen here. Or more. You'd think she'd just quit already.

"Why?" I ask myself more than anyone else. "Why is she out of moves? Why now?"

"Alice, are you okay?" I flinch away from Rosalie when her finger tips connect my cheek bone. "I fear you've been spending too much time alone. I hear the quiet can make you mad."

"You let the hybrid alone?" Her grandfather asks, astonished. "And you expected her to stay in whatever type of sanity she had? Gods, this the girl you expect to help you rule a kingdom Rosalie?"

I ignore his words, because I'm far too delighted and confused by my discovery to care. "Leave her be grandfather. Alice knows what is she doing, right?"

"No, no. Your grandfather is correct Rosalie. Maybe, i have been alone for too long. If Brice had blackmailed me in coming I wouldn't have figured this out. Not just for me, for all of us. I think I understand now."

"Understand what?" Brice frowns. "Did you have a vision?"

"I don't need a vision. I can see this without one. When Maria was threatening Isabella and I, it didn't take her more than a year to prepare her army. Once she was done, we stood no chance. She was coming for us and that was final. She had a battle plan and sneaky little tactics. Killing Isabella first was one of them. She came for me next not even a year later. I was like you, I was weak. I wasn't prepared. I wasn't ready, and that was prefect for her."

The people of Lotus are strong-willed individuals. I remember when I was sick from Lycan's blood and pregnant with my son, they had just found out about me, truly. Of course they weren't happy. They grew learning that my kind was not something to accept. You fight against hybrids or else the horror of what might happen to you is just too much. Their Queen or not they protested against me, human and Lycan the same. I was fighting to get them what they needed and still they would not accept me because it's what they were taught to do. They banded together to get rid of me and if Isabella had not shown up when she had it might have turned physical. Hell, it probably did and I was just too sick to hear about. My alpha offered them death and many of them accepted. They would literally rather die one by one rather than live knowing I was alive and baring more of my little _spawns. _

It's the same thing. Maria took over lotus thinking the people in kingdom were all brawn no brains. At some point my people grew to love me and Isabella as they leaders. Maria, to them, is just some person who took their peace of mind away. They would rather become her slaves and die cruel deaths than follow behind her. At the very least, if she threatened to hang them as example, they'd get the pleasure of laying beside their king.

If anyone is following her, it's probably weakest. She has no army. She has a kingdom of people who want her dead and there is nothing she can do about it.

"Maria isn't coming here." I conclude. "Not with war anyways."

* * *

**Dun Dun Dunnnnn (Totally worthy) **

**Well, Maria, looks like you've just been outsmarted by the hybrid. **

**Lol, Leave me a review? **

**Again, I want to apologize for it being soo late. I just realized there are two weeks left in summer and I haven't done shit. (Anyone else had this frightening realization?) **

**You guys know what this means right? I'm about to squeeze in as many chapters for this story as humanly possible before I have to go back to that place known as hell-without-the-fire. **

**I'm about to work my ass off because I just wasted my entire summer on foolishness. I hope I can finish the next chapter by tomorrow because it has what I've been so excited for in it.**

**Speaking of which, due to that fact, it might be a little short. Still, I'm excited. **

**Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	7. Chapter 6

**(I uploaded this earlier, but it was being buggy so I assumed it was doing the same for you guys as well. At certain times I couldn't see the chapter. It said I didn't upload it at all...so...here it is again.) **

**Um...yeah. This was harder to write than I thought it would be considering I've been waiting so long to write it, but huge thanks to Jobelle516 for helping me get over my writers block. **

**Mega warning on this chapter guys. Breathe before you read it. I've warned you...okay go ahead...**

* * *

**Chapter 6- **

**Zafrina's POV- **

I never wanted kids. I don't think I ever had a phase in my life where I found the idea of holding a child in my arms appealing, not even when I was just a small girl. The other girls my age would sit around and giggle to themselves as they pretended Mother-hood. Somehow they were able to convince their little minds that the dolls they held were actual babies and they'd carry them around, cradled in their arms, some wrapped in blankets even. To me it was silly, strange even. Who would ever want a child? Annoying little pests they are. Won't breasts become sore after having a baby suckle upon them all day? Wouldn't your head began to ache at the sound of their cries? Won't they annoy you with their silly little findings and interests? How could one put up with it? I find them loud and disruptive. I like to have my quiet and just the sound of a whine is enough to set me off. I've never been a patient person, still i learned to hold my tongue, even in the most irritating of times. I've learned to live through my mothers complaints of wanting a grand-baby to spoil and learned to block Senna out when she decided to nag me about her love of the small and _cuddly. _How lucky am I? I'll never understand it, The gods give me an emotional wreckage of an imprint, and moral mother who expects me do my duties as they are written. As if anyone ever could, if you play by the rules when you sit on a throne, you get killed.

You can imagine my relief when the two children from Lotus showed up. I could never have kids of my own. I'm no alpha nor am i lucky enough to have been born a man. With my little luck, i'm granted a wife who yearns for nothing more than a child to call her own. The part of my hear that loves senna more than anything led me to lotus for a short while.

King Isabella and i were never what i'd consider friends, but i liked her more than i did anyone else growing up. Somehow, in all her cocky brawn, she understood me. She never once dared to ask me to play pretend motherhood with her. She pushed me, pulled my hair and teased me with cheap and childish jokes every chance she got. I enjoyed it more than i should have. With was with her i could laugh and be rough and do as i pleased for once.

I was so sure she would have agreed to impregnating my wife for me. I didn't think she'd pass up the opportunity to get a free fuck, but shockingly enough, I almost begged her. She was the last person I expected to have morals, but nonetheless she stood by them and refused to lay with another for the sake of my happiness. Her mate meant too much to her and she insisted Alice would never agree to such a thing.

With her mate she was fortunate enough to bare two. The jealousy burned in me watching her wife give birth to their daughter and knowing Senna would never.

Mercy and Dorotheus, she named them. There was a second when I thought to send them away. When Isabella died, leaving them to her mate, I was so sure they'd be dead within that second, whether Alice fought for their little lives or not. For a hybrid, and such a gifted one at that, Alice couldn't fight. She had the motivation, but lacked strength. On the training field, the younger Lycans had their fun kicking her to the ground. She seemed knowledgeable though, at the very least, she knew what to do to keep her people in line more than Isabella. Maybe that was because her gifts granted her something like a second eye, she could she how her decisions would affect her and she was only becoming better. My opinion on how smart she was instantly changed the moment she sent her little demons here.

I wanted no part in this, even more so since she's the reason Isabella refused me, and she knew that well. Whatever compelled her to send them here is beyond me. I cared not of what happened to her children. I certainly did not want to have any secrets against Maria. I wanted to be able to truthfully say that I had no part in whatever happened in lotus...or whatever will happen. I heard the bitch could smell a lie and it's embarrassing how much I believe it. Last thing I wanted was to end up on her hit list. My clan is the only one who hasn't been directly involved in this feud and I wished to keep it as such. I helped Isabella out a little, but seeing that her clan lost the battle, I doubt the men I sent to her were of any assistance.

Still, I let the little children stay. Looking into their eyes was like looking into Isabella's brown ones and I remembered how much I favored her over anyone else. I owed her the few times I did smile in my childhood and for that reason I gave her hybrid children a room in the further end of the palace.

In my head, it wasn't going to be for long, I wasn't even going to bother teaching them my tongue. I made it clear to the orange headed maid not to become comfortable here, because in a year or so I would be sending them back to their hybrid to do whatever it is hybrids do. Maybe, I would force Alice to keep the agreement Isabella made and marry their son to my sister in law when he came of age, but until then, I wanted no further conversation with them.

Senna was more than delighted. Dorotheus didn't take a liking to her as he once did, but Mercy was just a little baby and she seemed to like being held. Senna would hold her all day sometimes, even bring her around the palace as well. It was long before Mercy mistook Senna for her mother -or at least so I believe-, and soon enough she grew to dislike her maid, Azah, and stuck on to my wife.

Dorotheus would stomp around all day calling "Mama! Mama! Mama!", but it was Alice he called for and I knew the sound of his cries broke Senna's heart. I had to remind her that she was not their Mother, and she would never be. If the boy knew Senna was not his mother, there was nothing we could or would do to trick him into believing so. He enjoyed Azah's company, to an extent, but not even she could tame him when he threw fits for his mother.

Senna learned to leave him be and enjoyed the love she received from Mercy. It was wrong, but by the time I rose to stop it, it was too late. Mercy had taken to Senna and there wasn't anything that could be done about it. I worried of how I'd explain that to Alice. I worried that the hybrid would react as though it was something done on purpose and then...who knows what she would have done? She wasn't violent, but a mother's love for a child knows no bounds, something in her could have sparked and then _what? _

Soon, those thoughts were put to rest. I was beginning to prepare to send them back to their home when I received the news.

_Alice is dead. Killed by King Ethan_. So ended her reign. The words sounded false, I accused my own council of lying to me. It felt wrong to utter the words. Alice was a hybrid, bad at it or not, there is no way she let that little cunt of boy kill her. For a moment, I didn't believe it. Wouldn't Alice see her death coming, or was she taken by surprise? Or maybe I had just overestimated how good of an Oracle she actually was.

Then I realized, if it's true, if she's dead along with Isabella, then there is no way I could send the children back to Lotus. Maria would kill them the moment she heard they were on her land.

Maybe that was the reason Alice sent them here, maybe she knew she was going to die and she wanted her children to have a chance.

_Maybe she was **giving** them to us. _No one craves a child more than Senna and during our time in lotus she took an fascination to Dorotheus. Maybe Alice saw that and knew that once she died, no one would care for them better than Senna.

Senna jumped at my words, _we would keep them_, raise them as our own, keep them safe. Do whatever it is parents do, more so her than me.

For a change, Senna was happy. The last thing I wanted was to see her get only a taste of something she could never have. She'd cry and cry and cry. And I'd feel horrible knowing there was nothing I could do for her.

But Alice _died _and that was the best thing to ever happen to us. Senna finally has what she has craved for so many years and that within itself makes me smile. Not long after, I too took a liking the children I could now call my own. Even Dorotheus, who's a little menace in his own way.

I have a son and a daughter and it's strange to say it's the best feeling one could ever have. Knowing you have a child, someone to carry on your glory, a real family to protect...it's uplifting. It makes you want to fight to keep it.

Now it seems as though our joy has turned to dust right in front of us. Everything is crumbling all at once and I can't find the words to tell her.

_Alice is alive. _Somehow, she's alive. Not only alive, **she's ****well. **Brice describes her as a little beaten up and depressed but well. I don't part take in any trade or alliance with Bloodrose, but I don't believe Brice would lie to be about such a thing just to get there. In my heart I know the words are true.

However the fuck Alice survived...no, no...however the fuck she was mistaken as dead in the first place is beyond me. One person shouldn't be able to cheat death so often.

And what does she want?

Her children. Something I've practically stolen from her.

No.

She wants _my _children. The two she gave me.

How does she suppose I take Mercy away from a woman she calls 'Mother' and bring her back to someone who's practically a stranger? How do I explain that to a small child who has become my daughter, someone I consider my own flesh and blood? How do I tell Dorotheus that he was right in his stories an accusations? He'll leave me. My own son would run away if he could and into the arms of a stranger. How do I tell my wife that our time is up?

I don't. That's how. They are mine and I'll put one hell of a fight before I have anyone just come and take them from me.

I watch the words crumble and turn black in the fire. I wait till it's nothing but ash before I turn away. If the words were true and Alice is alive, then I don't expect long before she shows up here. In that case, the right thing will be done, but not now. Four short years is all we got. I'll be damned if I have to listen to Senna moan all night because the gods took away her joy. I'll be damned if I have to live with a feeling of pure lost.

* * *

**Alice's POV- **

They'll come when they come, is what Brice tells me. I don't know if I believe his words anymore. They are too unconcerned for be to believe them true. He never gave me much thought when I complained, just waved his hand and promised Zafrina will arrive when she does. Hell, she's probably on her way now, and I'm cursing her name for nothing.

"Have you considered that she has more important things to do?" He gave me that grin I hate so much and it took me a good minute to fight off the urge to smack him. "Not everyone can drop everything and do something else as easily as you can Alice, give her time." I have given her time. I twitch in my spot thinking about just how much _time_ I've given her.

Two months. That's much too long to go without a so much as respond. I knew I should have gone myself. I knew a silly little letter wouldn't give justice to how concerned I am. Zafrina probably read the letter and laughed. She probably has my children's heads on a pointy stick outside her palace. I should have gone. I should have checked myself.

"Don't you have better things to do?" Brice continues. "I'm convinced you sit around all day and worry. Look- your hair is turning grey!" I knew his was joking, because the room fills with his laughter the moment I touch my hand to my dark brown hair. I scowl at him and take a seat beside him. It's just us in the council room today. It feels bigger than normal, and our voices bounce and echo quietly off the walls. In front of him, Brice has a large stack of papers he's sorting through, given by Rosalie. If I was still a queen, this would have been the month I loved and hated the most.

Listening and taking complaints. Where in Lotus we did it once a year, Bloodrose only does it once _every couple years. _Rosalie seemed to be good at listening and writing, by when it came to telling what she could and couldn't fix, she struggled. She reminds me of me, I used to put everything in the very important pile, if I could, I still would, even though I've learned to differentiate. As her adviser, I should be with her like I was the previous days, but I figured she could handle a moment to herself while I nagged her husband.

"How long does it take to write a letter?" I whine. "At least she could have put my thoughts to rest, for a little while. Something's wrong. I can feel it. If she doesn't reply within the week, you'll let me go, won't you?"

"Oh, I'm sure you can." He rolls his eyes. "I won't let you go anywhere. You'll probably just agitate her. Why do you have problem waiting? You're like a child, always fidgeting. She's probably saddling up to come here, now-"

"You keep saying that!"

"And I mean it. Can't you see what she's doing with your visions? What good are they if you don't use them?" I huff and cross my arms, a little more annoyed with the thought of my visions.

"I can't see my children anymore." I state. "At first I couldn't see Mercy, then Dorotheus became fussy as well, now their both just gone."

He pauses, much to my liking, he also stops grinning. His eyes go from humorous to concerned in that same second. "Like...dead gone?"

"No, not dead. Just gone. If they died, I think I'd feel it. I think I'd _know._" In truth, I had almost stopped seeing the _future _entirely. My vision take me nowhere but in the woods that night with Thea. Sometimes they take me further back, all the way to when Esme first laid eyes on me, but nonetheless it's always the same. If I forced myself, I could flash the near future, but that was all. I feel like there's a part missing to this and I can't figure it out.

"Can you still see Maria?" I shrug.

"Sometimes, if I try really hard. I want to keep my eye on her." I hate to admit even Maria was beginning to disappear, and I don't know if that's a good thing. Rosalie isn't as tensed when it comes to her as before, but still, it's good to watch the enemy. Search for a change or something...As far as I see, Maria hasn't changed.

She's still as weak and broken as the night I watched her cry over Ethan.

"And you can tell what she's up to- if she'll-"

"Brice." I stop him. "I wasn't talking about Maria. Zafrina remember?" His smile returned and I kicked him as hard as I couldn't under the table before he made some wise ass joke.

"Saw what I was going to say?" He winces then laughs.

"Some bullshit."

"Of course. Fine, fine. If that is really the case then I'll consider sending Zafrina another letter." I growl. What bullshit.

"If a letter didn't work the first time what makes you think it'll work the second? I don't want you to send another letter, send me. I'll behave, I promise. Zafrina will understand, I'm sure."

He shifts, uneasy in his seat. "Are you sure you can't see them?" Stiffly, I give him a nod. "Then, perhaps...I'll talk it over with Rosalie. She'll probably agree whether or not she truly believes its a good idea. _Anything to keep the hybrid happy._" _  
_

I smile letting out a long breath and resisting the urge to hug him. "That's all I ask."

A knock on the door echos loudly throughout the room, interrupting my delighted mindset with it's urgency. Brice's smile is gone. He clears his throat before he mutters the Bloodrose words for 'Come in'.

Quickly the door swings open and one of the guards strides in. His face pale and distraught.

He mumbles words to Brice, I recognize 'My King', then he bows. After he turns to me and gives me a polite nod. He speaks quick and aghast words to Brice. Its times like these I wish I understood the Bloodrose tongue more fluently. Instead Rosalie takes pleasure in being a translator for me. Suddenly, Brice rises, I follow him once I hear the guard throw in _Isabella's_ name into his telling.

The guard turns to me once he's done talking and gulps.

"What did he say?" I ask Brice.

"Stay here!" Brice commands me. "Don't move, do you understand me?" I frown.

"Fuck no! I'm going! Tell me..." He gives the guard a command, and I know that it's to keep me here. I scowl and shove the guard out of the way.

I can't run as well as he can on my wooden leg, but I can damn sure try. "Please, ma'am. Do as my king says!" The guards calls in my tongue. He follows behind me, but doesn't dare to grab me.

He's a smart man.

I follow Brice all the way to the Throne room, which held nearly all the guards in Bloodrose as well civilian spectators. I keep behind Brice as we push through the crowd.

Whatever is happening...it's nothing good.

I notice the bun before I notice her.

Marie. Instantly i scowl at her. Her face is old and tired, but still just as beautiful as ever. She wears a plain grey Lotus cloak around her shoulder that is dirty at the bottom and a little wet with rain. On her left a child, a small boy no older than four hangs on tightly to her.

But she and her son isn't what everyone is staring at.

No, it's what's behind her that makes me cry heavy tears and fall to my knees. "Oh my gods..." I thought everything would go black. I'd like it if everything went black, so that I could say I was dreaming or maybe hallucinating.

She's wet, her brown hair hung like vines in her face, her eyes are darker than before and through her pale skin, I can see her veins, black but pumping blood though her system. I can smell the familiar sweet essence from where I lay. Her smile is unmistakable, she herself is unmistakable. There could be no copy of her, every.

Standing tall, and naked, under the cloak she wore. She doesn't care as she kneels beside me and picks my limp body up from the floors. Her hug is weak, but warm. Her lips are shaking, but soft as she pressed them to my forehead.

"Alice," She breaths. "I dreamed of you." How, I'm not sure, but tightly I clutched to her and made a cry that rang throughout the buzzing room.

"Isabella!"

* * *

**I ain't got shit to say... ****Okay don't kill me...i promise this is important to the story...**

**Leave me a comment. Byeee. **

**Till next time**

***Faints from excitement* **


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7-**

**Marie's POV-**

_"We were all meant to correspond as one." Maria said. "I mean, we're all Lycans here, aren't we? We have the same goals in life. We all seek the same things, whether you want to admit it or not. We only differ when it comes to strength," Looking at me, she lowly added, "And power."_

_"I think it's more than possible to have the world we want, with a little force of course. We can live as the kings before us did; without any fear of hybrids or vampires or whatever else might be lurking. Doesn't that sound nice, Zafrina? I bet the world was a much better place before humans believed they could walk about as if we were equals. Or better yet, before **anyone** dared question our authority."_

_Zafrina is the only person left that I can say I know is truly fearless._

_In the face of death, she laughed. Not even just a quick chuckle to say she had found it slightly amusing but then remembered the seriousness of the situation. She full on began to **laugh**. I had never seen her laugh before, at least not to the extent where the table shook with the vibrations coming from her. Through her years she had managed to become so reserved that, if she ever did manage to grin, it was probably at some crude or morbid humor. Even so, it would begin to fade after a second of making an appearance._

_I'm not sure of how long she laughed. Only that with every second that passed, Maria's agitation became clearer. I sat, quietly fearing the words Maria would speak once Zafrina was finished. I believed they'd be both cruel and true._

_I had been very impressed with how calm she remained up until this point in the meeting, how strangely relaxed she had been. Any threats she uttered was quickly dismissed again with her stating that fighting wasn't what she came to do._

_And Zafrina, poor foolish Zafrina, didn't have the sense to respect that. She laughed. **Laughed. **I shuttered, suddenly wanting to be smaller in my seat. Beside me though, Maria began to smirk. It was small, but evident enough. Her fist clutched into tight balls and through her clenched teeth she growled, sharp and loud._

_Finally, Zafrina quieted. There was no noise in the room after that._

_It was only us. Maria, Zafrina and I. I'm not sure what Stefan and Vladimir's reasons for not tagging along to see Zafrina finally yield to Maria's cause was, but I'm glad they hadn't showed because I feel like this meeting would have gone much differently if they had. If the Moonstone brothers were here, as well as their machinery, this place would have been a pile of settling dust the moment Zafrina began to grin._

_"I don't want to kill anyone Maria. I don't want to be a part of this. The fact that you thought I would is ridiculous. I'm from Bloodmoon. I believe things are the way they should be. Except for you being a throne, of course, but that is neither my business or my concern. I don't care about your 'new world order'. If you want to go and kill every human, vampire, and hybrid go ahead. Change the world if you think you can. Bloodmoon, however, will not be changing with it. Leave us out. We don't want to feud with you anymore than we want to join you. I told Brice the same thing, and he has been smart enough to leave us alone since."_

_"You don't want to turn me away Zafrina." Maria scowled. "Think about us as Lycans. Do you really want an uprising as large as the last to happen in Bloodmoon? Think of your clan, your dynasty. The people here know just as well as the people do in Moonstone or Bloodrose. They have gotten ideas, even in my own clan, the humans have found some courage. They dare speak badly of me, and I was the one who saved them from that monster. Do you think your people are immune to influence? It best we completely demolish the problem before it can grow so large once again. Do you not care of your own kind? Do you want us to become slaves to any monster who dare rise against us again? How wrong would that be?"_

_"Well of course they've gotten **ideas** Maria. How could you expect them not to? What Alice and Isabella have started is called a revolution. Things have changed everywhere because of them, even here in Bloodmoon. It was always peaceful here, my people have never done anything extremely violent, but since we learned we could live among the hybrids who the old council considered a threat we've been...**better**. So you see why I will not be apart of any war against them? Everything comes good or bad, once this nonsense is over, I'll be happy to open gates to **anyone** who wishes to learn of our ways and live with us, even people from Lotus. I believe we can all blend into one as we are meant to. Until then, I care only of my family and my clan. I think I know what's best for them. This will bring more harm than good. Obviously, you do not see it that way. I advise you to leave, now. You demanded to see me and you have. I didn't even want any visitors in the first place." Zafrina stood, ready to close this meeting. Politely, she held out her hand to Maria offering a shake then, after a second, she tightened her fist and pulled away. "Wouldn't want Isabella's fate now, would I?" She sneered lightly. I cringed, thinking of my daughter's horrible death._

_Maria laughed though, extra hard, just for me. "I wouldn't think so. Tell me, before you dismiss me so quickly Zafrina...why don't you open your gates any vampires that might want **'saving'** from my reign?"  
_

_"Because that would be helping. I don't want to be considered a part of any side. I'll remain neutral until this is done. I'm not giving you any reasons to believe you and I must fight."_

_"Mmm." Maria huffed, unsatisfied. "Well, if that's the case, I'll consider you my enemy until proven otherwise."_

_Zafrina frowned, "That's unnecessary, Maria. Bloodmoon is not a people of war."_

_Maria's little smirk returned . "Of course, I know that." She stood as well, falling only a little bit shorter than Zafrina, but more built and assertive in her stance. "You don't support your own kind. What else am I supposed to think?"_

_"Perhaps I am thinking this through where you are not?" My fear for Zafrina built. She was so smart, but her confidence sometimes left her foolish in her decisions. I begun to think that, maybe, Zafrina hadn't heard of what Maria is doing to Lotus._

_But, that sounded ridiculous, even to someone as naive as me._

_There is just no way she couldn't have heard the news from someone. I know Brice would care enough to warn her some, whether she wanted to listen. Then I begun to worry that maybe she had heard, but just didn't have it in her to hold her tongue when addressing Maria._

_Maria somehow manages to always get what she wants. Perhaps she'd find some way to dethrone Zafrina's family and give the seat to the son she planned to bear before her death._

_"Of course I thought this through Zafrina. So far, everything has gone as I wanted it to. I'm doing what's best for my people. Am I wrong for that?"_

_Zafrina looked at me, but I had no words I could offer her while Maria was still in the room. So, naturally, I only stood and quietly pushed my chair back in place, then followed when Maria called me to._

* * *

_"She's lying to me." Maria said. She sat in front of the room's dresser, staring heavily into the mirror. In her seat, she slumped, her eyes tired and red; the dark brown color of them invisible beneath her glowing purple lycan eyes._

_I wonder if she saw what I saw when she looked at herself..._

_Certainly she should have, a person can only stare at themselves so long before the truth begins to reveal itself. She's been sitting there for hours._

_"Zafrina doesn't lie." I told her, as calmly as I could. Through the mirror she began to glare at me. I would've expected it to crack under the force she was exerting, but nothing happened and yet, I still felt like a child, stiff with fear._

_"Well, she's lying now. She and all her traitors are welcomed to die when the time comes." She leaned forward on her elbows, using her palms to prop her head up. In the mirror, she released me and went back to searching for something in herself I doubted she'd find. "You as well," She added quickly, as if to remind me she had not forgotten to punish me._

_I never expected to live so long after Alice's death. It's been nearly four years. Her purposes for keeping me is strictly humorous. She likes it when people suffer under her authority and she's there to witness it. The former queen of Lotus especially. It makes her smile to see me cringe at the sight of her punishing people fearless enough to speak their loyalty to Alice's name. She tells me, "The time of the Swans is over. The people have a new leader, and a much needed one."_

_I expected to be killed the moment Maria laid her eyes upon Darius. Instead it was my son she hung, and then gave me the privilege to watch him suffer and scream until his little face went still. "In a few months, you'll be hanging beside your daughter and that hybrid boy of yours."_

_I couldn't hide the shiver that ran down my spine, and that made her smile some. She saved a special spot for me and she took much pride in it. A large space between Darius and Isabella on the Lotus palace gates. It wasn't really sadness that I felt having been reminded, more like shame._

_After all I've done, a place beside Isabella, who had trusted me more than anyone, and Darius, who was so innocent in the middle of all this, is more than I deserve. Still, there was nothing I could say to stop her from hanging me beside them._

_I numbed myself to her words the best I could and focused on the situation at hand. Zafrina doesn't want to have anything to do with Maria. Though I understand someone needs to stand against Maria's tyranny, Zafrina isn't the person who should do it. She's simply too weak and too stubborn to form Alliance with Bloodrose. By themselves, her clan wouldn't last a day in the war against Maria. "What could she possibly be lying about? Honestly, you're making a big deal out her words that mean nothing. Zafrina will do you no harm. Bloodmoon doesn't fight." She huffed out a long breath and shook her head._

_"Don't you see, Marie? Ugh, you're just as blind as Brice. She doesn't want want the best for us!" She exclaimed. "She wants to see us die. All of us. I bet she would love it if our kind became the servants to those...things. That's not the way it's meant to be Marie. Lycans are made to rule. It's why we're here."_

_"And I suppose, everyone else is here to just serve us?" She smiled._

_"Exactly. It's what the Gods want for us. It's how things started and how they should end. I truly believe you have it in you to understand Marie, for whatever reason you stop yourself. Your daughter put a hybrid in power. They were Bloodsuckers on her council. Who knows what would have happened next? Humans?" She laughed. "Making the rules for us?"_

_"Alice and Isabella believed in the fair treatment of every creature."_

_She was in front of me before I could blink. I froze, then squeezed my eyes shut, while she took her pleasure in slapping me. "Equality is a myth." She growled. She grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her. She bared her canines at me. "If things were meant to be equal, there would be no such thing as Lycans. Now, Go tell my guards to prepare for our leave. I don't want to be in this place anymore. Zafrina and everyone like her will get what's coming." She told me._

_"I really don't think that's what Zafrina meant," I tried to tell her, though my face stung. Of course, I was out of place and wasting my breath. Once Maria had her mind set on something, there was literally no persuading her otherwise. "Zafrina just doesn't want war. Bloodmoon is a peaceful clan. Don't you believe Zafrina follows?"_

_"Someone needs to watch her. I'll send my guards in as soon as we get home. A person who doesn't have love for their own kind isn't one who should be sitting on a throne."_

_"Let Zafrina rule as she wishes to, Maria. This is her clan-"_

_"She isn't doing anything productive with it. She doesn't even trade. Go get the guards ready for our leave. This is not a discussion!" she snapped. She grabbed my upper arm and near shoved me at the door._

_I frowned and obeyed, leaving the room as quickly as I could._

_As soon as I was out of the room, the tears began to flow. I clasped my hands tightly over my mouth, in case of any near by spectators._

_Maria wouldn't have like it if she found out I cried. She would have probably punished right there in front of Zafrina. And Zafrina, neutral as her clan, would have done nothing to help me._

_This is not the Bloodmoon I remember. I have been here a few times, in my youth, under William's watchful eyes and protective presence of course. I wasn't allowed to roam without him or someone he appointed to guard me. Still, what I had seen of the place was a beautiful benevolent clan. They were so different from Lotus and so admirable._

_But Alice's reign and death changed things, and I'm not entirely sure if it's for the better. The self-sacrificing clan Bloodmoon was changed into, and rightfully so, cowards who hid behind their closed gates afraid of what might happen should they join a side._

_They, like everyone else, have become terrified of helping people. So much for 'corresponding' as Maria wanted._

_I made it to the end of the wall before I couldn't go on anymore. My eyes blurred with tears and my knees were beginning to feel weak._

_I blinked my tears away and wiped my eyes before a heavy weight smash into my stomach, effectively knocking us both down to the ground. My first thought was that Maria- but...Maria isn't so small. She was certainly taller than my waist._

_I landed with an a hard thud, making my backside hurt._

_"Gods! Child!" A horrified voice called. The Bloodmoon wasn't thick and her accent wasn't even the same as the natives. I recognized it as my own. Wearing, but it was definitely an Lotus accent. I opened my eyes to see a boy, with a wide grin laying across me._

_"Sorry," He said. The playful grin on his face beginning to fade. His face went pale as he stood up. "I didn't mean to- I just-"_

_"It's fine, child..."_

_"My name is-" A hand clasped tightly over his mouth before he could finish his sentence. I suppose this was the face that belonged to voice._

_The boy's maid. It doesn't take me long to realize I know her._

_She stares at me with wide frightened eyes. Her freckled face went red. "Marie." She uttered._

_I vaguely remember the orange headed maid that followed Alice around like a shadow. She was so unimportant to the situations that took place, and yet, always mutually involved. She was barely ever worth noticing..._

_What was her name again?_

_Eh-zah?_

_Azah._

_That was it._

_"Azah."_

_Like a puzzle, everything started to put itself together. "Azah!" I exclaimed._

_The boy she held on to so tightly began to wiggle. Soon enough, he was free and staring back at me with a face just like Isabella's. "You know each other?" he asked. "Zah never told me she had friends." He turned to give his maid a glare then held out his hand. "Dorotheus," He grinned. "Happy to meet you." _

* * *

_I should have been excited. I should have been overwhelmingly excited. My grand kids are alive. Not only alive, but well..incredibly well. My daughter and her mate left something behind. This is great. _

_But, I wasn't excited. I wasn't even the slightest bit happy. _

_This is wrong. _

_So very wrong. _

_"Do you know what Maria will do to Zafrina- to them...if she finds out they live?" Dorotheus gave me a smile. My heart sunk into my stomach. He was so precious, so young. With eyes like Alice's and Isabella's face...it's impossible not to melt into him. _

_"I know. I know, __Oh Gods. I know." Azah paced back and forth in the small room she pushed us into out of nervousness. Her usually frizzy hair was braided back to match the natives of Bloodmoon, and to keep it somewhat neat, but after repeatedly tugging on it, it was beginning to come loose and she was beginning to look more like herself. "That's it." She huffed out. "Zafrina is going to murder me. That's it. Last straw. She's going to kill me. One task and of course I mess up-"_

_She groaned, glancing back and forth between Dorotheus and I. "Don't worry Marie." He said. " I hear Zafrina and Senna fretting about her all the time. I think I can take her. I am from Lotus after all, aren't I?" Confidently, he put his little fists up and fired into the air. "Just let her try and touch me. I'll get her!" _

_My breath became hot-er..."You told him!" I shot out. Azah frantically shook her head from side to side. _

_"No! ... Well, sorta. I'm not stupid. I know better and Zafrina tried very hard to keep them away from all of that- it worked for Mercy, but Dorotheus..." She gave the boy a frown. "He's too damn smart. It's like he doesn't forget anything. He remembers Alice. He remembers Isabella a little as well. So, when he started to ask...there was really no point. The kid knows when he's being lied to." _

_"When do you think she'll come get me huh?" Dorotheus continued. "The lady...**Alice. **Her name is beautiful." He gave me happy little laugh. "I've been waiting all this time. I've even tried to good. All for her. I wanna impress her, I don't want her to think her son is trouble. I want her to see me and love me just as much as I love her. Oh, and Mercy too." _

_Again, my heart retreated into my stomach. "We're trying to wait till he's older..." Azah said gently before I could ask. "No point letting him know now. He'll throw a fit." _

_"How sad." I said. I wrapped my arms around myself for comfort and tried to relax some. _

_So, Dorotheus is alive along with his sister, Mercy. They don't know their parents are dead...and Dorotheus is still expecting Alice to return for him.  
_

_"They've been living here for how long?" _

_"Well, since Alice sent us here. Three years now. She was trying to protect them, and well, it worked." _

_"See," Dorotheus began to boast. "She loves us." _

_"Very much." I agree, not knowing what else to say to a child. He was so hopeful, so oblivious to the cruelty of the world around him.  
_

_"Oh Marie, Please tell me you won't tell Maria. I heard about what she's doing and believe me, Zafrina is in no position to fight but if it means protecting the children, she will. I don't want that- Isabella and Alice wouldn't want that. That's why Dorotheus and Mercy are here. He wasn't even supposed to be playing in the halls. He's just so fast sometimes and I can't always catch up with him. This was a mistake. Oh, please-" _

_"I couldn't." I say. "I've hurt Isabella enough, I couldn't allow their death as well." _

_Azah let out a breath. "Good, we won't speak of this. No one needs to know. If Maria doesn't know, then she won't come after them. Right?" I shrugged my shoulders. I wanted to tell her everything Maria's planing for the quiet clan. _

_I wanted to tell her that regardless if she knows about the children or not, she'll come for Zafrina's throne. _

_But I couldn't and I don't know if it was worth it just to see her smile that once. _

_"Something has to be done about Maria." I said and she agreed, even little Dorotheus nodded his head along as well. _

_"Why doesn't Isabella take her out?" He asked. He pounded his fists roughly into his hand and growled. Throwing me off guard, his eyes began to light up a deep purple, hinted only slightly with blue. "I heard she's strong. Stronger than Zafrina at least. I bet she's planning to right now. And once Maria is out of the way, Alice will come back for us. Won't she?"  
_

* * *

"What kind of sorcery is this?" Alice's voice was hard, slightly shaking, and frightened. She no longer sounded like the sweet little girl my daughter introduced me to. She sounded strict, rough...and perhaps if she tried harder, a bit frightening as well.

She touched her fingers tips to Isabella's face for the hundredth time, gently caressing different areas of my daughter's face and then after a moment, she stuck her finger out and pinched, prodded and did whatever she needed to do to tell herself she wasn't dreaming.

Isabella crinkled her nose and laughed, delighted with her mate's fascination. Playfully she took Alice's finger into her mouth and bit. Alice didn't flinch, but instead, cocked her head to the side and gazed back at her.

"It's a long story..." I say honestly. "I don't know where to start."

"The beginning seems like a good place," Rosalie said small. "Why don't you go from there?"

"Ow!" Isabella complained lowly. My attention turns back to the two and I see Alice biting Isabella back the same way Isabella had to her. Isabella dragged her finger from her mate's mouth and shook.

"So you feel things..." Alice concluded.

Isabella frowned, "Why wouldn't I?"

"You've been dead for nearly four years..." Rosalie shrugged. "I have the same questions she does."

"Explain!" Alice shot at me. Her went a strange blue and she growled. "Why are you trying to trick me? Haven't you done enough?"

"Alice," Isabella grabbed her arm and pulled her back down onto her lap. Lovingly, she buried her nose in Alice's neck, nuzzling her. "Mother means no harm. You know that."

"You can say that because you don't know what she's done." Alice cried. "You've been gone and things have changed. I don't trust her."

"To be fair, you don't trust anyone." Brice joked. Alice shot her glare at him and the smile from his face quickly vanished.

"No, no. She's right. It's my fault Isabella died in the first place. It's my fault all of this happened. I felt like I needed to do something. I had to fix somehow." I shrug and hold Darius closer to me. I missed him so much, and I know it's wrong, but how much more harm could I be doing? I'm trying to make things right again. "Isabella came to me with a girl, she thought it was the right thing to do and it was. I made the mistake of not turning her over to William. If I had, we could have avoided all of this. Maria never left me forget that."

"You're working for her?" Alice accused. Isabella tightened her grip on her, though it was useless. She's still healing and Alice seemed to have gotten stronger.

"No..not anymore at least. She kept me as a pet really. There was no more use fighting her. It seemed as though all hope was gone. She had 'power' and no one one wanted to stand against her. No one in Lotus was too fond of her, or Ethan and I suppose that's how he ended up dead. Maria blamed the rebels..."

Alice scoffed. "You're welcome."

"I'm sorry?"

"I was working at a tavern...after Maria's attack...Alec, Maggie, Jane and I, we were trying to get to Bloodrose, but it would be a while before we could pay for transportation, we needed to blend in. It doesn't matter now. He came in one night and I just couldn't take him or anything anymore. Like i said, it doesn't matter. He's gone now. Let Maria blame who she wants as long I get the pleasure of knowing she suffered...right?"

The shock on my face must have been clear because she gave me a mean frown. "Well- um...yeah. Of course she suffered. She cried for months, then finally went on a rampage. No one in lotus wants to stand with her as far as I see. Of course there were people who didn't like you, but still...she's a tyrant, and people would rather die than stand with her."

"We figured that." Rosalie said. "Well...Alice did...She been sending threats for months now."

"If she wanted to attack us, she would do it already." Brice adds.

"Yes, she barely has an army right now. When I left she was thinking of building one up from slaves."

Alice's frown deepened. "And this led you to Isabella...how?"

"Oh, well...We went to Bloodmoon together and Zafrina completely shot her down. Maria's thinking of ways to dethrone her for it now, but that's not the point. I ran into your son actually..." I tried to say that as softly as I could, but still I could see the blood leave her face. "No, don't worry. He is fine- they both fine. I didn't exactly get to meet Mercy, but if Dorotheus got so big then just I could just imagine how big little Mercy has gotten as well."

Her face softened a little. "How did you manage to meet him? Is Zafrina that careless with them? How easily could it have been Maria instead of you?"

She tightened her fists and her worry became clear again. "I'm sure that's not the case. Azah says Dorotheus is a bit of a handful sometimes is all, but he wishes to meet you. Both of you, very much. They haven't even told him that they think you're dead. He asked me why Isabella doesn't just take Maria down, if she's the problem, so you guys could be together again...and that's where I got the idea from."

Alice let out a deep breath. "Really? He...misses us?"

I smile, "Well, you are his mother. I had only heard stories of the place I went to get Isabella. I didn't even think it was real, until I saw it for myself. Elders call it The Black Isles. It a place for souls to go after death."

* * *

**Alice's POV-**

I made sure I could see the steam coming off of the water before I turned off the pipes and drained a whole bottle of rosy smelling oils into the tub and mixed it around a little. Cautiously, I stood over the tub, inspecting my work as if there was a way I could have done it wrong, somehow. It smelled right. The sweet was a little intoxicating, but I supposed that was okay...

The room is dim lighted, the candles in the corner are low and the fire coming from them don't stretch anymore. They'll be out soon. I never cared to change them before. I enjoyed bathing in the dark from time to time so they didn't bother me, but now...

I should change them before I invite her in. Yes. Most definitely. I've never known her to shower in the dark. She'll like it better if I change the candles rather than take the chance-

Too late.

The room became darker as she stepped in. She gives me a strange smile. It's crooked, half broken, but somehow happy. I don't give her back one. I can't. My lips seemed to have forgotten how to curve upward, even if I tried, I bet it would come out looking like I was sick or something.

I haven't even found the words to speak to her yet. Every time I try, I fear getting them wrong, so I'd rather not talk at all. What would I say anyways?

_Welcome back? How was being dead? I missed you..._

The words aren't right yet. It makes my stomach tighten.

I undo the ties of her cloak, slowly, then let the fabric fall to the floor. I take a moment to look at her, all of her...

Everything seemed right...

Same full breasts. I can see her veins, still a bit black and criss-crossing under her pale skin but they are hers none the less. Her stomach is still flat and too toned for a woman. The words once craved into her are disappearing the same way a scar would fade...

She takes my hands in hers, drawing my attention back to her face. Her eyes...beautiful swirling brown, alive and twinkling in the semi-darkness.

Without a warning she leans down and places her warm lips over mine in an oddly daring kiss.

I wait to melt.

My knee felt weak and threatened to give out under me and my heart fluttered, my skin even heated at her touch but I was still in control. I wasn't left dazed or confused after she was finished. I wasn't even tempted to go back for more.

This is wrong, as right as I want it to be...I need to figure this out first. I need to understand it.

Until then, I will not dare let myself get _caught up_ in her love again. I will not cry as I did before if she leaves me. I refuse to hurt like that again.

My heart aches. Are the Gods really this cruel? They'll give me back someone I yearned for then take her away again in time? Her brown eyes become sad and I flinch a little as she reaches out to wipe my eyes. "Shush!" She commands. "Don't cry. I don't want to see you cry."

"I don't think you get that choice." I tell her, softly. She gives me her grin, followed by her rich and deep chuckle.

"If your tears are for me then, I think I do." She leans forward and kisses my tears away, whispering her words of love. "I feel like I've been dreaming for years and years and years, but every time I close my eyes and I try to relive them, all I can remember is blackness and the sound of death. I know you were there though, because you had to have been. There is not a time when I dream and it's not of you."

"You left me!" I finally work myself up to say. I wish I hadn't, because my words are harsh and angered. I shove against her chest, not hard, but it's enough to make her wince and retreat away from me. Her smile begins to fade. She stops when her back is against the wall and she couldn't be further away from me. She sighs, running her shaking fingers through her hair.

"Is that truly what you believe?" I scoff. I should be hugging her, kissing her, making love to her because I didn't get to right before she left. I should embracing her with everything I had. Cherish the moment, because I'm not sure when it will end. Instead, I'm angry. Angrier than I've ever been. I don't want to hurt her but I wouldn't mind if something showed her just exactly how I felt.

"What am I meant to believe?"

"You're angry at me?" She frowns. "That's not fair, my love. I was scared too. I feared her too. Before I left, I wanted to tell you how much I loved you and you wouldn't let me. You made me think I would return."

"Because you were meant to. You're my mate! You're an alpha! You're not allowed to die. You're not allowed to get hurt. It's your fault! You're not indestructible. You should have never put it in my head that you were." She huffs. "I needed you and you left me."

"I'm sorry you were hurt. It was never my intention, but I'm here now. Please, allow me to make up for it." She steps forward, attempting to reach for me again. I slap her hand way.

"Oh fuck off! It's too late for that. I don't understand why you're here, Marie barely understands it. _The Black Isles. _Pssh, Until I get some more answers I don't want you to touch me. Don't kiss me, don't make me remember why I ever loved you because for all I know, you're gonna leave me soon and I cannot handle that again."

* * *

**You guys are allowed to hate me now. **

**I am so fucking sorry for the 3 month wait. **

**Like really, really sorry. **

**I had a bad case of writers block due to the fact that I REALLY wanted Ethan to be a part of this chapter, but it wasn't working and I couldn't force it anymore. **

**Yesterday I decided to cut him out of the chapter, and look at that, I'm done. **

**So, yes I'm very sorry. I'd owe huge thanks to everyone who helped me get through this chapter. They know who they are. **

**Anyways, please let me know what you think :) because i know there is just no way, you have nothing to say. *nervous giggle* **

**Yeah, so anyways...**

**Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8-**

It's hours into the night before Isabella's eyes finally began to droop and she gave a tired yawn. Still, it felt like forever before she finally gave up staring at me and allowed herself to rest.

If anyone at all, she's the last person I expected to have in my bed. I was quickly reminded of her persistence when she refused to leave me alone for the night. Rosalie would have had a room readied for her in just a little while if she asked, but she said no. She would not leave me, and well- she meant no.

She isn't as easy to sway as Rosalie. I threatened to throw her out and she laughed, then begged me to join her in the tub. My alpha hasn't changed one bit. Through my confusion and anger she was happy, smiling, _apologizing,_ poking fun at me even. After all these years, I still can't win an argument with her. She's more clever than I am and thus more capable of weaseling her way out disputes, but that was somehow comforting rather than disappointing. Her smile still makes me tingle.

Perhaps I am dreaming. Yes, this was all a really really good dream. When I wake up, I won't have to make due with her being here again. I won't have somehow make sense out the situation. I definitely won't have to explain anything to her...

But as logical as that sounded in my head I can't deny what is right in front of me. I am not dreaming. I am wide awake, unable to sleep because my alpha, my mate, my wife, _who is supposed to be dead, _who I'm supposed to be getting over, lays in my bed- asleep.

I can see her chest rise and fall with the breaths she took. I could see her skin, smoothing, healing, returning to it's correct pale color. I can hear her heart thudding rapidly in her chest. I can smell her blood, still as intoxicatingly sweet and inviting as ever, but laced with something bitter. Thankfully, it was beginning to fade.

It's her. She's here. This is not a dream.

I rose from the corner I sought refuge in and sighed, shaking off my thoughts.

It looks rather inviting to join her, though I know I shouldn't. She's scrawled out over the most of the bed, like she usually would be. Her arms slung lazily over her side of the bed where I should be.

_I don't remember what it's like to be held by her_, I realize. The thought makes me go warm inside. I bet it would be nice, loving, comforting...

_"You're doing it."_ I cautiously remind myself. _"Don't do it, not yet."_ It's not worth it to get hurt again.

I will not sleep easy tonight, I decide, not as long as she is here...

* * *

"Good morning." That is not Rosalie. The voice is too smooth and not feminine enough to belong to her. It's not exactly masculine either, it's clear that it does not belong to a man...

It's too early in the morning for me to correctly gather my thoughts. I sigh and shuffle in the comfort of my bed. I don't want to get up yet. "Come on, Little Love...Get up." It is a woman, and while her voice is tender, soft and rings like music in my ears, I can't help but feel odd hearing it. "I brought you breakfast. Brice says you like to eat in your room, alone." She sets the metal tray down on my dresser with a small_clink _and then draws the sheets from over my head as gently as it could be done.

That is definitely not Rosalie. No, Rosalie knows better than to touch me, much less to come so close to me without permission.

When I open my eyes her smile is blindingly bright and surprisingly happy.

Isabella. The realization hits me hard. I wasn't dreaming. She smiles and kisses my forehead. "You fell asleep on the ground Little Love. You were so tired you didn't even stir as I picked you up."

That really happened.

Isabella is really here. I get a strange urge to scream, but instead all I can muster up is a frown. Her smile fades. She takes and brings it to her lips and gives it a long kiss.

"I know. I know. You don't want to talk to me." She sighs. "You're mad, and rightfully so as well. But I don't want you to think that means I'm going to give up trying. You're my mate and I love you. It hurts that you're torturing me like this, but you need to heal and so do I. Let us do it together?" **  
**

"Shut. Up." I groan, snatching my away. "It's too early for you to be so-" I eye her up and down as I struggle to find the right word. Damn, had she always looked so good? Today she's clean, unlike last night. She was dressed in a tradition Bloodrose suit that's light blue and clashing nicely with her healing skin. Her brown eyes are bright and very noticeable as she pulled her long hair back into a ponytail. "You." I conclude, lamely.

She pouts. "Brice warned me you'd be grumpy."

"I am not grumpy." I scowl. "You're just bugging me is all."

Her pout turns into a frown. "Bugging you? I just returned and already I'm_ bugging_ you?" _  
_

"Yes, you're bugging me. I asked you not to bother me and here you are, in my room. In my space. Don't you have other things to do? Other people to visit? You've been...gone...for four years. I'm sure other people want to see you." I push her aside as I stand from my bed, a bit dizzy and still weary from the night before.

"Why would I want to see other people? You're who I missed, screw everyone else if they don't like it. I want to make amends with my wife first." Her face softens as she continues. With a warm smile, she takes my hands in hers and tries to tighten the space between us. "I thought you might be hungry. Aren't I just the worst?" She leans down and plants one of her sweet kisses on my neck. My knees go weak and I threaten to fall against her. She only chuckles when I push her from me. "This is new. I don't like this. It's weird. Are you always this...er...mean...or is this all just for me?" She eyes me up and down a few times the same way I did her. It becomes uncomfortable when her gaze settles upon my legs...leg...wooden leg. Her face fills with curiosity as she returns her eyes to mine. "Everything is different. May I help you shower?"

"I don't need help." I say shaking her off.

Her smile returned. " You refused me last night as well. Humph. Fine, may I stay here for a while then? I was hoping we could catch up a bit, but sitting in silence won't be a problem."

"Did you not just hear a word I said, or has being dead affected your hearing? No. Isabella, leave me alone. When I want to talk to you, I will. Until then, I don't want to have to look at you. I don't want to be mean, but understand that it burns and I don't want to feel that way, I don't want to remember us just yet._ It_ hurts." _  
_

Her expression became pained and the burning in my chest I felt having looked at it is why I don't want her near me. Reluctantly, she stepped back and hung her head, almost shamed.

"I never mean to cause you pain and I understand that you are hurt, but can't you understand that all I want to do right now is hold you? Seeing you like this pains me, and I am very eager to take all that away. I'm not leaving you, I can't leave you."

With that she step back away from me and sits on my bed. My hands ignited in that flame once again and right away I feared this would not end well for either of us, but as soon as it came, it left.

Isabella is not a threat and she never could be.

I choose to ignore her as I collect my things for the bathroom and retreat out of the room.

"Fuck." I curse, turning on the pipes. Why did she have to be so..._her_?Why can't she understand to leave me be like everyone else? Oh, because she's Isabella, and she's hard-headed and she thinks she can fix everything with her stupid charming smile.

I undress myself and quickly and lay in the tub before it is full. I yearned for the comfort hot water on my skin would bring.

I try to forget that Isabella was in her last night, naked and still just as beautiful as ever. I try to forget how nice her lips felt on mine. How utterly disgusted I am with myself for pushing her away.

But of course, by trying so hard to forget her, she's all I can think about...

Gods, she looked like a kicked puppy with her sad eyes. I'm a monster.

A true monster.

I remember the days when laying next Isabella in bed and listening to her breath was all I wanted to do. When, so much as opening my eyes seemed impossible so long as she kept holding on to me.

She's right. Everything is different. And it is weird. But it is not my fault. She died. She left me. She has to deal with the changes. I don't have to go fling myself into her arms because it'll make her feel better. Do I...?

It's a long while before I feel ready to get out of the tub and enter that Gods forsaken room again. When I do, surely enough, Isabella is just as I left her. Sitting on my bed, waiting for me to come back.

Her eyes light up when she sees me and I'm greeted with a warm smile. "May I help you dress? I miss feeling your skin."

I glare at her, but she either doesn't get it, or ignores it as she stands. Before I can protest her arms are around me, skillfully undoing the ties of my cloak. I huff.

"You're making this very difficult for both of us."

"Give me room!" I cry. She frowns, just as I do.

"No. I left you for four years, as you keep reminding me. That's room enough. This is ridiculous. I miss you and you miss me. You have nothing to fear. You're only prolonging what needs to be done. Let me hold you. Let us talk about it, won't you?"

I don't know what made me think I could just tell Isabella no and she'd leave it as such anyways. She's irritatingly persistent.

"I don't want to talk yet." I give up struggling and fall limp against her, letting her remove my robe.

"That's fine. You don't have to tell me anything just yet, but you will not dismiss me altogether. I am your wife. You are always my first concern." She kisses my shoulder, throwing the robe to the side as she always does. "Nothing can drive a wedge between us. Nothing should, especially not you."

Stupid Isabella, I don't get why she can still do this to me. I feel wrong, shamed, but she makes me forget that somehow.

I feel the fire in me diminish as she continues to cover my skin in kisses.

This feels right. This feels so very right.

"Now, what are we doing today?" She smiles.

My frown returns, tenfold. "_We _are going to have a very serious talk with Marie."

* * *

**Hehe. Bellice game was strong in this chapter. **

**This was fun to write and I have a sneaking suspicion the next chapter will be just as so. **

**So, did you guys like it? **

**Lol, well if you did, there will be more soon. **

**Till next time. **

***Flies away* **


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9- **

"You'd be wise not to tell lies against my wife, Demetri." I thought Isabella's happy attitude would last all day -and annoy me just the same-, but as soon as we ran into my brother that changed.

She's frowning deeply, even while still recovering and not 100% her yet, she was still very frightening. Her face went dark, though her Lycan eyes made no appearance. Perhaps, she had no intention of attack Demetri, though her body language said other wise. She stepped one foot forward, towards him. Fists clutch, nostrils flaring. One hand grabbed him by the collar, while the other pushed me behind her, securely.

I groan and buried my face in my hands. Demetri is badly scarred, but he seemed to be recovering quite well just as Brice said,. He looks like a burn victim, or someone who had half their face torn off...

The scars are as ugly as one could imagine. Thick, nasty, and covering half his face and his entire neck.

A horrible feeling of nausea rush over me. I did that to him. And I'm supposed to be his big sister...

Through Isabella's growls I heard a chuckle, then a raging laugh. I peeked out to see my scarred brother grinning like a damn fool. "Against her? No-no. You read me wrong, Sister." Isabella's grip didn't loosen until he continued, "I'm not mad at her. Nor am I trying to say she's a horrible person. You and I both know that isn't true, don't we?"

"Ugh." Tanya, who was clutching tightly to Demetri's hand, and somewhat hiding behind him, from me no doubt, scoffed. Her stupid face scrunched up into a frown. "She _is _a monster. Look at her! Now that you're here,_ you'd be wise_ to control her!"

"Tanya please. Mary didn't mean it. Look at her, she's red with shame. No need to be, I forgive her. She didn't mean it." Demetri peeked around Isabella to take a long look at me. "Besides, if I make her feel guilty, she'll feel so shamed she won't want teach me to do it."

It's my turn to scoff. "I'm not teaching you anything." I mumbled. Isabella releases him and brings me forward so she can wrap her hands around my waist again. I wiggle.

"No way." She said, ignoring my protests. "My little Alice...did that...to you?!" She reached out a finger to run over Demetri's scars. He proudly brought his face forward to her so that she may poke to her heart's delight. "Forgive me for not believing you. You can imagine why. Gods, Alice." She turned to give me a horrified look. "What could possess you to that to someone?"

"Anger. The demon is full of it." Tanya hissed. "I told Rosalie to lock her up, like she deserves, but of course not. Rosalie likes her too much. She's risking our safety!"

"Like I said, It's okay. All is forgiven. I'm sure Mary will simmer down now that you're here to comfort her some. Won't you? - Oh, it doesn't matter. As long as you teach me. I want to be able to do it too."

Isabella huffed out a breath, still shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't believe how much I missed...Dammit, Alice finally kicked someone's ass and I missed it."

I tried hard not to smile, I really did, but she gave me a squeeze and mumble how proud she was in my ear and just like that-

I feel accomplished. Proud. I'm strong. I can defend myself. She doesn't have to fight for me ever again - or die for that matter. If anything _I _can protect _her. _

"We'll talk more later Demetri, I definitely want details. As for right now, have you seen my mother? Alice wishes to talk with her."

He nodded. "Yes, actually. There're all in the council room. Brice asked us not to disturb them for anything. I guess it's extremely important."

"And private." Tanya added, sourly. "I don't think you'll be anymore invited than we were."

"I don't need an invitation to talk to my mother." Isabella frowned, pulling me off.

* * *

It turns out it wasn't just Brice and Rosalie who were joining Marie in the council room. I've never seen the room so full. It was Brice, at the head of the table, Rosalie to his right. Sasha to his left. Marie, Rosalie's grandfather and a bunch of other, older faces I haven't seen before.

All of them looked somewhat troubled, even Rosalie, who always seemed to have something to be annoyingly happy about.

"I didn't realize we were having a meeting." I frowned. "Why wasn't I invited?"

Brice stood to address me. "This is nothing you need to concern yourself with, Alice. Please, go somewhere else for the day. Rosalie and I are busy."

"We all thought you'd like some time to reconcile with your wife. Why don't you guys go into the capital together? It is very beautiful." Sasha added as motherly as she could.

Isabella snorted, and in the next second her arms were hugging me. "Reconcile you say, but Alice hasn't even given me a proper kiss yet." She giggled. "Feisty little thing she is."

"Yes, yes. She tends to be a bit...harsh at times. Please, will you leave us now? This is very important and I really don't want you getting concerned with it." My frown towards Brice deepened and his face went pale. He sighed. Of course I wouldn't just let him slide like that. "Alice, Please-"

"Well if it's important then I definitely want to know. Even more so if it involves Isabella." I pushed her away from me, but of course it didn't break her spirit as she came back at me, hugging tighter than before.

"Ah, it doesn't matter now anyhow!" One of the faces frowned. He's a really old man, maybe in his late eighties..."What's done is done. Nothing to say about it now. We have a hybrid and a..." he carefully eyed Isabella, making me upset and somewhat agitated. Why was he looking at my mate like that? It seems he couldn't find a word to describe her so he huffed on it, then continued. "Wrong or not, what's done is done. May the Gods have mercy on us. Especially you." He wagged a finger at a shamed Marie, who sunk down into her seat.

"Brice, I warned you. These things...these _black magics _are not taken lightly to the Gods. When she is punished for playing with fire you will be burned as well."

"Thank you, but Isabella and Alice are friends. We do not turn away friends."

The old man grumbled as the rest of them stood, thus ending the meeting I guess. One by one they all began to retreat.

I waited till they were all out of the room to ask. "Black magic?"

Brice tried to smile, but he's tired and stressed, his smile looked just the same. "Alice please, not now would you? I know how you are. You will stress the situation far beyond what it is. You'll worry yourself. You have your mate back. Go fuck or something."

"I want to know." I said, shoving Isabella from me and marching over to him. Angrily I slammed my hand down on the table in front of him. He jumped in his seat. "Don't hide things from me."

"I'm not hiding anything. You know what was done isn't natural, don't you? Surely you have thought of the great problems Isabella's return will cause..."

"I don't even understand this. No one has explained anything. You can't just give me her back and expect me to just accept it." I fumed.

Marie sat up straight once again, sighing. She rubbed her temples with shaking hands and gave me a pleading look. It might have worked, if I wasn't still so upset with her. "Alice, trust us when we say, you'd rather not know."

I bared my teeth at her, but tried hard to keep my anger under control. No need for a scene... "You've made things so horrible for us and now here you are again. I'll ask one last time and I expect a proper answer. What did you do?" I growled.

* * *

Darius is a small and happy boy. His resembles to Carlisle is uncanny, even while he is still healing himself. He has long blonde hair, bright red eyes, even the same grin as his father. I tried to remind myself that Darius is not Carlisle. He is a child. He hasn't done me wrong, his father has. And I have no reason to punish him for his Father's mistakes.

Supposed, he spent the day with a maid Rosalie assigned to him. And while I'm very much aware she is from Bloodrose, I can't help but mistake her for Azah. Same happy smile, same wild orange hair and freckles. The look-alike smile at me and rises from Darius. After sharing some words with Marie, she takes Darius' hand and leads him from the room.

The little boy waved his little dimpled hand goodbye to me.

My heart melted. I want badly to ask Marie of my own children. I want her to go in detail. Nothing is useless, I want to know...but there are greater issues at hand.

"Please, sit..." Marie said, offering us a seat on her bed. I don't want to sit. I want to punch her in the face, but Isabella drew me down into her lap anyways.

"You're tense." Isabella whispers in my ear. "Relax, Mother will tell you what you want to know."

Marie gave a nervous chuckle. "Yes, yes...I just never know where to start."

"Are you still trying to hurt me Marie?" I raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "Because it seems like you are. First, you tear our family apart and then you bring her back to me. What are you getting out of this? Haven't you hurt us enough?"

Marie's face went pale, she fidgeted with her hands in front her and looked from Isabella to me. Isabella chuckled behind me. "Forgive her Mother, it seems as though she has found a reason for everyone to be on her bad side."

Marie shook her head. "No, no she's right. I did some horrible things and it resulted in your death. I am very sorry and I understand if you don't want to forgive me, but either way, this is me trying to fix it."

"By using 'Black Magic'? It sounds like you're making things worse."

"I figured it would be worth it. You won't understand how much shame I felt in the past few years. After I met Dorotheus, I felt like I _had _to fix it. I didn't know what else to do. Zafrina refused her, and her clan doesn't fight. There was no way I was going to convince someone as hard headed as her to stand against Maria. I thought the same would go for Brice, as he continuously refused her gifts, and letters. What good was it going to us any of us anyways? If Maria fell without an heir to the throne it would just result in another war. And if she did leave behind someone to sit after her, how would that make things any better? So, I thought of the only person I know to be as strong as she was. It was a long shot, I didn't even expect it work." _  
_

"Expect what to work?" I urged her to go on. She let out a frustrated groan.

"Like it was said, black magic. It's not something that's use commonly. In fact, It's so rare that we thought it was all just a myth. But, The Black Isles exists and it is not a fun place. I know you've never heard of it, because no one wants to talk of it. It's Hades' playground. It's a place for the dead. I knew I'd find what I was looking for and I did, but like all good things, it comes at a price."

I frowned, now more curious than angry. "What price? Is it worth it just to have Isabella back for a little while?"

"A little while?" She smiled a little. "Is that what you're worried about? No. Isabella's back. She and Darius are here to stay until they die again. I'd expect it to stay as so since I'm paying so much for it. As you can imagine, the Gods don't appreciate you messing with this kind of thing. Whether she died too soon or not. I met with The Fates, and they told me that a price would have to be paid. You can't so sow a life back together. Hades will want something from Isabella in return. They didn't say what, but I assume that when the times we'll know."

I felt dizzy when I stood. I don't know what to make of this. _Isabella is here until she dies again. __Hades will want something from her. _

"There is no certain guarantee that everything will be okay again. How is this any better?"

"Alice, as Brice said, don't stress it. Enjoy her. Make it worth it."

I felt the tears well up in my eyes. Isabella could very well be leaving me again. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. "You shouldn't have done this." I said. "It's not worth the pain, you shouldn't have done it."

* * *

"Alice, may I ask you something?" The silence between Isabella and I was only just becoming somewhat comfortable when she broke it. Still, her voice was soft, innocent. I couldn't get upset. She chuckled lightly to herself, "Listen to me. I have to ask my wife permission before I can question her."

I open my eyes to look at her, she's a lot closer to me than I thought. My bed is beyond big enough for two, and she's practically on top of me, even after I willingly made room for her. I moaned. I'm not uncomfortable with her so close to me, but I don't particularly want her to be either...

"Well, you can ask me anything. I just can't promise I'll answer." She gave me a pout, but then asked anyways...

"How do you expect things to get any better if you don't give it a chance? And don't turn away from me. I seriously want to know. It's like you don't trust anything anymore. Even when it's clear people are just trying to help...Mmm?" I didn't answer. I couldn't answer. What the hell was I supposed to say that wouldn't end in me crying about it? "You know, it's okay. You don't have to talk to Brice, or Demetri, or anyone of them about it if you don't want to. However, I expected you would at least open your arms to me a little. _I don't like this. _I don't like that you don't want me to hold you. You're my wife. I love you. I don't want you to hurt anymore. I'm here, trust that I won't go anywhere, won't you?"

"I can't." I told her honestly. "How am i supposed to trust that you're here to stay when you aren't even sure of that yourself. What about our family? When Dorotheus and Mercy join us once more, how will I explain to them why you have left us again so soon as well why we weren't there for them all this time?"

Her face quickly became softer. She sat up right and pulled me into her arms, hugging me tightly. "I think a lot parents have a hard time explaining death to their children, but it's okay. I'm not going anywhere. We won't have to worry about that until they are full grown, by then they will already understand it. There's no shame in fear, but you can't let it drive you away from all the people who love you." She told me. "I think you of all people should know that. You should let it out. It won't get better until you let it out." I hadn't realized I started to cry until my eyes started to burn and I was shaking. "I don't expect us to go back exactly the way we were, but if we could try, that would be nice."

Nothing would be exactly the way it was. I learned that ages ago. Too much has changed. We won't even be returning to the same home we left. "We don't have to start with talking. I can see that you don't want to. It would be beyond fantastic if you didn't treat me like you do everyone else." She pulled me from her chest to look at me. She's smiling pretty big. It's comforting.

She wiped my tears slowly, then kissed cheeks, my nose, my forehead, everywhere she could until finally...

She settled upon my lips.

I stiffened though, I didn't mean to. I want to relax into her, I want to pretend, just for a second, that she was right. Everything would be okay. She won't be leaving me again. Dorotheus, Mercy, Her and I would all be together again soon and everything will eventually return to something similar to what was normal.

Hades will want his payment from her in time, and when it does come, we will work through it together.

So, I try to move with her. I try to kiss her back just as effortless and passionately as she was kissing me.

I'm trying. I make a note of that. That's a good start isn't it?

She laughs when we finally pull apart. "I almost forgot what that felt like." She took my hands from her neck and kissed them. "Are we okay- no. We're not. I mean...are we getting there at least?"

I smiled with her and nodded. "I hope so...This is good for now. I don't want to be without you." Perhaps Marie was right (And I hate when she's right). Perhaps it won't hurt too much to make the most of what I have before it's gone and I truly regret not loving her like I should.

_I can let this go. I can move on. _Isabella deserves it. I'll worry about the future when it gets here.

"That's good enough." She leaned in for another kiss when we are interrupted, by a light knock on the door.

I don't have to hear her voice to know its her. "What do you want Rosalie?" I called, a bit bitterly.

Isabella and I finally have a moment and it's cut short.

She opens the door, a bit shyly then her face went red. "Oh, forgive me, I didn't realize you two were- um...busy."

Isabella shifted, just slightly, but it didn't go unnoticed.

Oh right. The imprint. I hadn't forgotten exactly...It just hadn't been an issue...until now.

I made a face at the Blonde Queen. No fair, she has a husband. Isabella is mine.

"Nothing to forgive." Isabella stated as smoothly as ever. She gave Rosalie a smile and kissed my forehead, then pulled us apart. "What is it?"

"Well," Rosalie started, shyly. "You've been occupied since you arrived. I kind of wanted to talk to you..." She's nervous, as she should be. I clasped on to Isabella's hand, keeping her from leaving the bed.

Isabella looked at me and laughed. "While I would love to talk to you Rosalie, I'm afraid my wife isn't too comfortable with that."

Rosalie frowned at me. "Are you sure I can't just-"

"No." I grumble.

"Not even for a minute?"

"No!"

"Humph." Rosalie crossed her arms across her chest. "Some other time then I suppose. I apologize for interrupting." With that she left, half slamming the door behind her.

"You're jealous?" A grin formed on Isabella's face.

I scoffed. "Jealous of what?"

She shrugged. "You tell me that..."

"When were you going to tell me you imprinted on her?"

"I thought you already knew...it isn't going to be a problem. Rosalie and I are mutual and I do not intend for it go any further than that." She kisses my lips again and promised her love was only for me.

She laid down with me again, only this time, I held on to her as I tight as I could.

* * *

**Mmm...**

**Was that too much for one chapter? I feel like it was. **

**Oh well, it's done now. **

**What did you guys think? **

**Good? Bad?**

**I think it's a start, I mean, Alice still has a long way to go...**

**Anyways, **

**Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10-**

For the first time in nearly four years, sleep comes easy. I was completely drained from all the day's unfortunate events, and crying so much. I can't remember ever feeling so tired and yet so reassured that by morning I'd wake up well rested and perhaps even _happy _to go about the day instead of just wistfully dragging myself around. I expected to dream of Isabella, since in our happier days I almost always did and I am content with her return. She was the only one who managed to bring me some comfort and I did expect to sleep through the night, uninterrupted. She's here. She's holding me. What more did I need to guarantee a peaceful slumber?

But no. It's Thea and the monstrous creature that didn't kill her that haunts me instead. A feeling of anxiety rushed through me as the dream, or vision, began to play itself out with Esme cradling her newly stolen child to her chest as tightly as any concerned mother would. I could feel myself beginning to twist in my bed, trying to shake the vision away, as well as Isabella's arms gradually becoming stronger around me. I could also feel the dead leaves prickle the bottom of my feet, just as I always could, as if I were actually there.

"Shh," Isabella's hush broke through, but the vision would not leave until it finished.

Fear isn't what I felt for little Thea, me, abandoned in the frightfulness of the woods though, mostly because I know she lives. I have a bad habit of surviving even when all the odds are against me and that within itself is thought-provoking and disturbing.

This must be the hundredth time I'm watching this thing play out. So by now, I've already studied every aspect of the creature's misshapen body. It's blackish skin is loose, and looks somewhat rough upon closer inspection, whereas I first thought it was smooth. It's eyes are not orange-red as I first thought either, just deep, dark orange. And while its teeth don't look sharp, I've come to the conclusion that they must be as it's obvious that this thing hunts for its food.

I watch it limp over to Thea, who was now silent, sniff, then run off.

That's where the vision releases me, and I'm left confused, curious and somewhat irritated that whatever this thing is, it chose to haunt me now, when it had the perfect opportunity to kill me as a child.

Isabella wakes me with kisses and the promise of a somewhat decent day. It's nice to wake up to her smile; at ease, gentle and reassuring.

I willed myself from the sheets before she could lift me and wearily made my way to the bathroom.

Isabella followed closely behind me, looking much more rested than I.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her voice still a bit rough from sleep, but somewhat lively- and more herself. "You didn't seem to be having a good dream..." Her handsome face filled with worry. She stopped me in my tracks to the tub and hugged me tightly. I first tensed, then allowed myself to enjoy the feeling of her hugging me. "Let me know what troubles you so I may erase them for you."

She kissed my lips gingerly and then raised her eyebrows expectantly. I shook my head.

"No, it's nothing. With everything we have to worry about, silly dreams are at the bottom of the list." I pulled away from her and began the water, desperate to forget the whole thing and carry on with the day. "Dreams are dreams. Good or bad, they don't mean anything."

Rosalie would require my attention, in the event that today was the day everything would go back into its usual occupied schedule, and Brice would become upset if I spent more time day dreaming, than actually helping her.

"You know," Isabella said. A huge playful smile beginning to form on her face. "It is believed in Bloodmoon that dreams can predict the future. I'd take into account that it might hold true, especially for an oracle. Are you sure you don't want to tell me? Perhaps, I can offer interpretation."

I tried to smile with her, because I know she's not pushing me to talk about anything- she's only joking. Still I shook my head 'no' and began to undress, as did she. I earned a pout.

"Fine, but do you want to know what I dreamt of?" She pulled our naked bodies together, and gave my neck a big, long, wet kiss. Then another on the opposite side. "I dreamt that my mate was in desperate need of a laugh, and good loving. I think this is one dream that holds itself true. Don't you?" She picked me up with ease and stepped us into the bathtub. She sat down with me on top of her and lovingly began to kiss and clean all over my body.

* * *

"I don't need your help today." Rosalie said at the council table, she shuffled through her papers, trying to busy herself. She didn't even look up as she spoke with the small group that was her council. Her mother gave her a frown she did not see.

"Are you sure Rose? Alice is more experienced than you are. You remember how overwhelmed you were a few days ago right? You shouldn't go to the hearing without her."

Rosalie's hearing of the kingdom's wants and needs was put on a small pause due to Isabella's shocking return. As I suspected today, she'd be going back to work, and without me apparently.

"Yes," She snapped. "I'm sure. I said I don't need her. Why am I being questioned?" Sasha seemed appalled, as did the rest of us, but no one dared to question her obvious attitude.

"Okay then," I said with a small shrug. "I'll be around if you need me I suppose..." She didn't look up at me to respond, and while I was shocked, I wasn't hurt or concerned. Here, Rosalie is the Queen, and if she doesn't want me at the Kingdom's hearing, then I simply will not be there.

"Brice," I said, turning my attention else where. Brice was just as lost as everyone else, but hearing his named seemed to pull him out of whatever thought he was in. "You said you'd think about sending me to Bloodmoon. Have you come to a decision yet? I was thinking, since Isabella is here, she and I could go together. Spend a small while with the children maybe, while she recovers. I don't want her preparing to fight again so soon, she still needs time." I was hoping that hearing about Isabella and I reuniting with our children would soften him a little. He gave me a smile, signalling that it was good chance it worked.

"Well, don't you seem a little bit eased?"

I nod, "I want to see them before we head back to Lotus...just in case anything goes wrong while we're there. I want them to know who I am."

He laughed. "What magic has Isabella worked on you? Look, you're not frowning for once. It's pleasant to see. I'd love to send you Alice, really I would, but I said I'd ask Rosalie. The decision is hers."

I look at Rosalie, who still didn't even glance at me. "No." She said, sourly.

My heart sunk. "No? But why? Brice said you'd definitely say yes-"

"No." She said, much louder. Finally, she looks at me with hard green Lycan eyes. She stood, to lean over the table at me. "I said no before and the answer remains. Don't ask again."

It's a moment of bitter confusion before I understand what is happening.

This is payback for last night. I grit my teeth together. What right does Rosalie have to be jealous? I stand to her as well, slamming my fists down angrily on the table. "She was mine first." I spat out angrily at her. "I will not share."

She growled. "She's my imprint! And you won't even let me talk to her!"

"And for that you will not let us see _our __children_?"

"Girls?" Sasha stood as well, putting a hand on each of our chests and pushing us back. "We will not be arguing over Isabella at the council table."

"We will not argue over Isabella at all." Brice fixed. "Rose, Isabella is married and so are you. Alice has right to hog her all she wants. Sit down. Do not let this come between you two."

Rosalie huffed, plopping back down into her seat. She gave me mean eyes as she began to shuffle through her documents once more. "The answer is no. Find your own transportation to Bloodmoon, but if you leave, do not come back."

* * *

"I'm really sorry about Rosalie." Brice said sincerely, once the meeting is over. I was eager to leave the dreadful room. Isabella would be waiting for me and I itched to get back to her. "You and I both know she isn't usually so aggressive. No matter though, I'm sure she didn't mean any of that. She adores you too much."

I made a face. I never imagined Rosalie yelling, much less threatening anyone with her Lycan eyes. I gave him a laugh, though my anger was through the roof, and I was just about ready to hit something. "I didn't know she had an 'aggressive' side. Good for her. She'll need it, if she wants people to take her seriously. I didn't."

Brice frowned curiously at me, then grinned, putting his hand to my forehead. "Are you feeling okay? You aren't running a fever... I honestly thought you'd be angry...ready to fight even. But here you are...smiling. Kind of reminds me of a happy little pixie I knew." I scoff, remembering Isabella's old, and ridiculous, nickname for me. At the time, I suppose it appropriate. I was happy, naive, and my hair was cut a lot shorter than it is now.

"I'm very angry Brice. Rosalie has no reason to be upset. Isabella is my wife. She's my mate. I had her first. Why should I give her up? Or share? I don't want to. I won't." I sighed, trying very hard to shake off my anger. Rosalie has done too much for me to hold a grudge against her, whether she was being unfair or not.

Brice nodded his agreement. "I think it's only fair Rosalie leave you and Isabella be for the next few weeks. Figure out your own issues before new ones start up. However, Rosalie seems determined. I doubt she's going to let you and Isabella be, even just for a few days. What can you expect though? They're imprints Alice. I bet it won't be long before Isabella holds a fascination with her as well. Keeping them apart isn't smart. Nor is arguing with Rosalie about it. "

My heart went cold. I couldn't bare to think about Isabella _and Rosalie _sharing a bed, or even so much as the same general area. I shivered. "Isabella promised me no such thing would happen. I hold her to her words."

Brice snorted. "Isabella promises a lot of things, but what do I know? You're the physic and her wife. If you want to hold her to her promises then go ahead. I'm just warning you-" I give him a frown and turn away from him, ready to rejoin Isabella for the day. Brice followed me out of the room.

Of course, Isabella was there, waiting patiently as I expected. Brice only waved hello, while I hugged her.

"Just look at Zafrina and Senna." Brice continued. "You don't have to love the person to _love_ the person."

I snarled at him. "That doesn't make any sense!" Isabella gave him a chuckle.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, squeezing me.

"Rosalie has banned Alice from her hearing for the day." Brice said, jokingly of course, but still it made me grumble at him and Isabella's suspicions rise.

"Why? I thought you were mentoring her or something?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"She doesn't need me, anymore." Isabella frowned lightly.

"Nonsense. You're an oracle. You can help her more than she can help herself. I would think she'd give you a few months longer before she dismissed you."

"It doesn't matter. If she doesn't need me anymore then I can start focusing on other things. Like, learning to fight in this thing. The sooner we can go home the better for everyone." I glared down at my wooden leg. It's still stiff, uncomfortable, but I'll have it for the rest of my life. It's about time I get used to it. Isabella looks too. She's been smart enough to not even mention it, but her stare said enough.

She's confused, and a bit upset with it as well. She scoffs and immediately shakes her head. "You won't need to. Maria tricked me once. She's won't get away with it again. You think I'm going to leave you to protect yourself? You haven't grown an inch."

I glare at her. "If you thought for one second I'd allow you to fight against Maria then you're wrong." I cringe at the thought of Isabella going against Maria for a second time. I remember how easily the tyrant lifted and threw me across the room. I remember laying there thinking I'd die.

I'm not sure how strong Isabella will be once she's finished healing, but I can imagine that she won't be exactly the same. Maria is strong enough as it is. I won't be risking Isabella life a second time.

Isabella smiled. "You don't need to worry about me. I don't like this Alice, you know that. I don't like thinking about you fighting- especially against Maria. It's upsetting."

"I fought against her before." I lost, of course. Maria had me pinned, but I doubt she will be so lucky a second time. "I survived."

"Most of you." She quipped back. "We will not be arguing about this again Alice. The answer is no. Leave the heavy stuff to me. Trust that I will not let anything happen to you ever again. Maria's head is mine." She leaned down and kissed my lips lightly. Her usual way of dismissing me.

A familiar feeling washed over me. This is the same way I felt when Isabella did this to me before.

Small. Like a child being punished by parent. I don't like being dismissed. I will not left out again. Of course I know Isabella means well, but I am not weak. I will not be treated like I am weak.

"No?" I fussed. "No. I said I want to fight and I will. You will not do this to me again. Especially not now. I am not weak. I don't need you to fight for me. You did once and you died. I've learnt my lesson. Why don't _you_ sit down and handle the 'lighter' things and I'll fight? Or we can both go. I don't have a problem with that. But I will not stay here and let you go without me- again."

Isabella grunted. A frown formed on her face, but I don't realize how truly upset she is until she speaks. Her voice his rough and harsh and all directed at me. "You have a place Alice, and it is not on the battlefield. Put my thoughts at ease and stay where you belong. Beating up your brother doesn't make you strong enough to dive head first into a war."

Brice stepped between us before either of us could become more heated about the situation. His grin is rather large as he wrapped a hand around our shoulders, pulling us into a tight hug. "Why don't we worry about that later? Neither of you are in a position to fight and Rosalie and I are still preparing an army. There is no time to waste and yet, there is plenty. Stop arguing. Once you both are deemed 'war ready', we'll figure it out."

Isabella shoved me off of us and possessively wrapped her arms around me. "Fuck that." She spat. "Show me what you are preparing. We'll figure it out now."

* * *

"Well, well, well..." The blond head trainer, Jasper Whitlock, grinned. "If it isn't the cripple and the _dead_ king."

"I am not crippled." I reminded him. Isabella growled, holding on to me tightly.

"Wishing to lose your head, boy?" I ignored them as I looked on to the field and at the young Lycans. They are teenagers, almost full grown and yet, still not finished with their training..._weird. _The Bloodrose training wearing included metal. To me, it is strange. It's almost like full body armor, the trainees wore. In Lotus, only beginner children are allowed any type of protection. Still, it was rather thin, and didn't protect you from much, though it did stop you from bleeding on the grass too much.

From what I can see of them, they aren't too muscular. They look sloppy, undisciplined- weak. I wonder if they made much of a difference when Maria was using them. Had they really contributed to her victory or was that all just Moonstone?

"Kate and I are to be married." Jasper boasts. "I'm just as royally bonded as she is. I'll call her what I want."

I hadn't noticed Kate standing far off to the side of the field, alone, drink in hand and looking miserable. She scoffed at Jasper's commentary. I wiggle from Isabella and walked over to her. "I thought you hated anything that had to do with helping your sister. Why are you here?"

"Mother is making me." She sulked. "She says I can no longer make promises to men and not keep them. I am 'A Lady'."

I chuckle at her annoyance. It somewhat serves her right. "So, you're marrying him?"

She shrugs. "Call it what you will, a piece of paper and metal loop won't stop me from doing what I want. Jasper whined that we should spend time together first and well, I'd rather not get my head bitten off by my mother again." She gulped the last of her beer and disposed of the empty holder by throwing it on the ground a few feet away from her. "Never mind it. What are _you _doing here? Shouldn't you be Rosalie's shadow? Or is it the other way around?" She teased, her voice becoming lighter, lower; almost secretive. She took a step closer to me, for which, I took one back, away from her. She reeks of alcohol and expensive perfumes.

I frowned. "I was fired. Isabella wanted to see the Lycans. Here we are."

She snorted. "Rosalie fired you? With the way she obsessive over keeping the hybrid happy I would have never thought- Geez, what did you do? Piss in her coffee?" _  
_

"Something like that..."

"Huh. Well, if you're no longer playing adviser, would you mind if I get a day with you? After all, it seems everyone else has had the privilege of getting to know you. Wouldn't leave me out, would you? " Her smile becomes larger, then quickly fades. She straightens up. Her face going back to being melancholy. I don't understand why until Isabella approaches us and clasps our hands together.

"Flirting with my wife, Kate?"

Kate shrugged her shoulders lazily. "Depends on what you consider flirting." Isabella huffed, not amused.

"Come, Alice. Whitlock says We're welcomed to watch his Lycans perform. Won't you like to do that instead?" She doesn't wait for answer before pulling me away.

"I don't like her." She mutters bitterly, once we are away.

"You barely know her."

"I don't need to know her well to know you two have nothing in common."

_Just like you and Rosalie have nothing in common. _I think. I laugh to myself.

"You're jealous?" I teased. She frowns.

"Jealous of what? Is there something I should be jealous of?"

"You tell me that..." She laughed along when she realized I was mocking her then shook her head.

"No. I trust you, but like you said, it's been a long time. What if you now prefer drunken, promiscuous girls?" I pulled her down and kissed her lips.

"Just as you promised me Rosalie and yourself are mutual, I promise you the same with Kate. I doubt she even thinks of me that way." Isabella made a face, but accepted my answer without further question.

Metal armor clinked loudly together as the Lycans took their place on the field, grabbing Isabella's attention once more. She pulled me off to the sidelines where we would watch with Brice.

"Why do they fight in armor?" I wondered aloud. Brice gave a quick chuckle before he answered.

"They are young and new. Rosalie doesn't want the few lycans she has to get unnecessarily hurt while training."

"Few?"

"Where it is somewhat mandatory Lycans train in Lotus, to both serve their kingdom and protect themselves, it's completely optional in Bloodrose. It's not like back at home Alice. Violence doesn't run through the streets. When their is no need to be strong, why waste time?" Isabella added. "Do you remember the first time we were here my love?" She asked with a new found smile. "Do you remember seeing Bloodrose Lycans for the first time?"

I did. We were children and still new to each other. I was watching Isabella train against two students from Bloodrose. Of course, Isabella completely demolished the two, upon her father's request, rendering them forever useless. I didn't look at them as if they were weak. They probably weren't, but against a lotus Alpha, strong enough wouldn't cut it.

I wonder if we would have won if I had Isabella to fight with me against Maria? Perhaps...

Bloodrose isn't strong and I can assume the same for Moonstone lycans as they hide behind metal machines.

The Lycans took their stance and upon the command began to attack each other with an unexpected force. They look a bit pathetic struggling with the heavy armor and their opponent and I suppose it offered opportunity. While one was distracted, the other took advantage and shoved them down, gaining the upper hand. I braced myself, ready to see the true violence begin. I expected to see punches, hard blows, no mercy shown... I wanted to hear screams from the wounded. That would make me feel a little eased about the army. At least I'd know Brice had that covered, bu I was surprised to see pinning their opponent is where they'd stop.

No particularly hard hits. No blood spilled. The Lycans got up bruise free and ego wounded.

Isabella grinned, amused by the show being put on in front of her.

"I'll help Jasper train them." Isabella offered to Brice, who agreed. "They'll need all the help they can get. No just for the army, but for their own good as well." She looked down at me next. "See, the Lycans will be fine. The army will be fine. They just need practice is all. You won't need to put your life at risk at all. I told you. Your persistence to fight is, and will always be, ridiculous. It's my job to fight for you."

"Your delusion that I cannot, or shouldn't, protect myself is what's ridiculous." I snapped back. She sighed, her grin faded. She frown at me disapprovingly.

"Cute little women shouldn't have to protect themselves." I snorted. "Everything will be fine without you. Drop this idea, Alice! I'll chain you to the bed before I let you fight."

I grumbled, uneasy. "I think if Alice wants to join the army. She should. The hybrid will be a great addition. Hasn't she shown you what she can do yet?" A voice said before I could.

I turned around to glare at Rosalie. "I can convince her myself." I pout. She waved me off. I wanted to ask what she was doing here when she should be at the hearing, but that's none of my business anymore, is it?

"Yes, yes. Of course you can. Do you like what you see?" The question is directed at Isabella, but I speak up before she can.

"Barely."

Rosalie didn't seem offended. She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I know they need work. We're getting there. That's not why I'm here though. I wanted to tell you, right away. I've changed my mind. I'll send you to Bloodmoon."

Is it wrong that I'm suspicious? She smiled at me when she was just about ready to tear my head off earlier. "Why?" I growled.

"I've thought it over. The situation works for both of us. You want to check on your children."

"And you?"

"I want to talk to Zafrina. In person. Start packing. We'll leave tomorrow."

* * *

**Mmm... Suspicious or just Rosalie being kindhearted? **

**Mmm? *Decisions decisions* **

**Well, I hope you liked this chapter. **

**More soon. **

**Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11-**

"Smile Alice." For some reason it's Chara's voice I hear when these words are spoken and not Isabella's. I turn around to look her expecting to see the face of the antagonistic woman. I expected to see her standing there, hunched over as she always was, hair drooping down like vines into her face, and her usual scowl, miserable as always. She'd wag her finger at me, telling me I'm too beautiful to look so bitter. And somehow, not as a compliment. I wanted to see her there. I wanted to be met with her old wrinkled face and ever persistent frown. I wanted to see her standing there yelling at me for not doing anything...for worrying about silly things like Rosalie and what my children might be doing instead of persistently preparing to take my throne from that tyrant. She'd be upset that I'm just standing here when she spent so much time and money to afford a wooden leg for me. I'm not sure what comfort that would bring me, but thoughts of her scowling me is more satisfying than being met with Isabella's kind and gentle smile.

She lingered by the the doorway, waiting for a response. When she didn't receive one she stepped closer to me and held her arms out for a hug. Again, I did not move. I did not want to be hugged, or even touched for that matter. She let her arms drop, but it isn't defeat that replaced her smile- just curiosity.

I should expect as such. Isabella doesn't lose - or doesn't lose well, I should say...

"I do not like that face you're making. It says nothing kind. Your entire expression is hostile." She said folding her arms across her chest. "You're tense. Smile, relax, worry not of what's to come. Everything will be fine soon."

I cringed at her words. What a talent Isabella has. What a silver tongue she is. She can make anyone believe anything, even for just a second, so long as she smiled. Pulled them close to her perhaps. It was near impossible to resist her velvet-like voice. Hell, she fooled me into thinking we would be safe so long as we put our trust in her leadership, her men, and of course, the Gods.

I waited to feel safe. I waited to believe her. I wanted to so very we could go back to how things were, she'd speak and I'd listen. I'd believe everything that came from her mouth because who wouldn't? Who could call someone so convincing a liar?

Only, Isabella no longer brings me the same comfort she once did. Her words don't reassure me.

Her words her void. "Rosalie has changed her mind. I thought that is what you wanted. Instead you lock yourself in your room doing Zeus-knows-what. You haven't planned the girl's death now, have you?" Slowly, I shook my head. Rosalie's actions are strange, yes, but I haven't thought of killing her for it. Her kindness is becoming overwhelming and with Isabella's return, I now question her true intentions behind it...

"I fear that in your absence I became immune to lies." I uttered. Isabella laughed.

"And I am lying to you?" Her face filled with humor, despite the fact that I was not smiling with her, I didn't want to be bothered by her or anyone else, and I did not _want_ to smile. She stepped closer to me, pinning against the wall I was leaning on with one hand on my waist and the other firm on the wall beside me.

"About somethings- yes. What you do you know of the future? Of what will come to us?" She leaned in, letting her nose nuzzled my neck, then my cheeks, then ears...

"Only what you tell me. Am I lying? Are we all doomed to die horrible deaths by the hand of Maria?" I frown at the playfulness in her voice. Only Isabella could find a joke in that somewhere.

I don't know how to tell her I don't know what will come to us. My visions have taken a leave of absence, leaving me bare. Thus, taking away the only leverage we had. I'm blind. I know as much about the future as she does.

"Is that a no?" She asked after a few moments of silence. She grinned when I didn't answer. "I didn't think so. People like Maria never win, you still like stories don't you. Can you name one where the bad guy wins?"

I scoffed and shoved against her a little bit. "This isn't a story..."

"If you think of it as one it might help you relax a little bit. Then you'll know everything sets itself right and your doubts will melt away."

"But, _This isn't a story._" I repeated. My voice came of harsher than I expected. Her grin faded into something sad and pained. Again, she wore the expression of a kicked dog or a scorned child. Like she had when I rejected her. I felt guilty for a moment, but instead of apologizing I let it linger. I shouldn't have to apologize. I'm right aren't I?

This isn't a story.

"I'm trying to help." She murmured.

"I don't need to be treated like a child. I understand the truth of the situation and I think it's fair for me to worry. Need I remind you, you lost last time? Pretending that there is no risk isn't helping. You disapproving of everything I do that involves the truth of our world isn't helping. I need to think of these things Isabella. Let me."

"I don't treat you like a child," She argued back. "I treat you like my mate. Like how I'm supposed to. You _don't _need to do anything like that. Yet you persist on it anyways. I'm sorry if you think my trying to keep you safe is the equivalent to treating you as a child. It isn't my fault we aren't equal. I fight for you. Why don't you let me do that?" It shouldn't have taken me this long to realize that Isabella returning the same person she left as wouldn't help me win this situation. We stood stiff for a moment, quiet, and somewhat angered. Neither of us would allow the other to do what we wanted. I, for one, will not sit around and let her tell me what to do again.

"You don't talk to me anymore." She said, softer this time. I remember of easy it was for her to weasel her way out of arguments. How I could not match her in that, among other things. "You aren't anything like I remember and for that I wonder of you are truly the woman I left. The Alice I knew would take my words. She'd listen when I asked her to let me handle things. She wouldn't lock herself in rooms, she'd talk to me, sometimes endlessly about her worries and she'd let me help."

"I asked you to give me time didn't I?"

"And I suppose I ought to just sit and worry for your sanity while you muster up enough courage to come to me?"

"Yes."

She let her arms drop, releasing me from her captivity. She took a reluctant step backwards and frowned. "Will you at least tell me why you don't seem happy with Rosalie? She has been kind, you should have at least thanked her..."

"Don't you question her as well?" I asked, because to me, it was just that obvious...

"Perhaps not in the same way you do..." I glared at her accusingly. She wouldn't go back on her words would she? Rosalie and her share nothing more than glances. She promised me...

"How do you question her?" I tried not to sound angry. What could possibly swim through Isabella's mind about her that doesn't mine?

"How do you?" She quipped back.

"I question why a woman, who was pissed off at me one minute, chose to grant me permission to do something she's been denying me since I got here. I question why no one else sees the strangeness in her way like I do."

Isabella shrugged. "I hear that she is kind-hearted. Like you...I also hear that she has business with Zafrina. That of which does not concern me. My concerns are my children, who are there and waiting for us. My concern is my wife. It seems as though I went to sleep and woke up the next morning to a whole new , no. I didn't search for strangeness. I do not care of it. I care that I will get to see how tall and strong Dorotheus has gotten in the four years I've been away. I care that Mercy is now a big girl who is probably everything like you. When I left her she was still an infant suckling at your breasts."

"Well I care of her strangeness, I do not trust it. I will not accept it. Rosalie _likes _you. And here you are with me...Do you think that sits well with her?" Isabella's face hardened.

"Do not talk of imprinting as though it is a mere crush the girl has. What she feels for me she cannot help. I don't think you trust anything to be fair. I think she has showed you much kindness and you are being unreasonable." I scoffed. "She isn't trying to hurt you. Let that idea go."

"I never said that. I just think-"

"Stop thinking. You'll hurt yourself more than you'll help yourself. We'll see our children in a few weeks, think of that. I don't want you thinking of Rosalie and her intentions anymore. She's a nice girl. What more do you need to know?" And there she goes again. Telling me what to do. I wonder if she truly doesn't see what she's doing or if she just doesn't care.

"How do you question her?" I ask again. Isabella shrugged.

"To tell you that would be to hurt you...You needn't know." I frowned, my curiosity soared as I imagined all the horrible things she could be keeping to herself, but I chose not to question it. She was right, somewhat, whatever it is could wait. I shouldn't have to worry about it as well.

"Okay," I mumbled, ending the conversation. I turned from her, trying to gather my thoughts once. Perhaps I should begin to prepare for our leave. I don't know when Rosalie would want to go. Morning? Noon? Late at night?

How many people would be joining us? And would I be apart of whatever discussion she needed to have with Zafrina face to face?

* * *

Isabella still held me tightly as she slept. I found it strange, when we have our disputes, especially the ones she couldn't find a way out of, she'd stay upset for longer than just a few hours. If she held me at all those nights, it certainly wasn't with so much affection. But tonight was different. Her arms held me securely at her chest, making it hard for me to wiggle or even move. Eventually I gave up trying to twist my way from her death grip as there was nothing I could not that wouldn't end with her waking. I tried to relax against her. I tried to remember that regardless her arrogance, she still loved me more than anyone else in the world ever will and that her over protective nature was just her way of showing that- as annoying as it is. I tried not to think of Rosalie or how she complicated things that were meant to be simple. I tried to lay against Isabella and sleep because I deserve it. She is my mate after all...

_Or is she still..._I glanced up at her, she's sound a sleep, face relaxed and at ease and breathing light..._She's mine. _Right?

Death severs the connection. I remember being told this many times. By Isabella herself, as the deed was done. By Marie because that was the only way she could be with Carlisle. By Brice, who told me himself he was mate-less and even vaguely by Rosalie, who suggested we mate, since Isabella was gone and I was _mate-less. _

But Isabella's not dead- anymore...She's here. She's here and she's mine still. I felt heavy in her arms all of a sudden. My stomach cramps at the thought that she might now belong to Rosalie. I wish she were awake so I could ask her how this works...

How easy would it be to settle the growing feud between Rosalie and I? Just one question and it would all be settled. Wouldn't it be nice if everything else was that easy to put to rest? It would definitely knock some questions off my list. She shouldn't be allowed to belong to both of us.

She quickly became defensive and pulled me back to her chest when I attempted to rise from her again.

_I should sleep_. I told myself, sharply, when I felt my displeasure with the question begin to rise. Yes, i should still and stop angering myself more than necessary. It's late and the morning will hold more questions than answers.

* * *

Morning came too soon and without much promise of a happy day as it did the morning before. I got no sleep, so I was weary as I willed my wife from away from me and rose from the bed we shared and made my way into the bathroom. Isabella watched me lazily, as if she had no plans of getting up herself. It quickly became evident that she might be a little upset with me when I began to stare back at her and her face turned grim.

Perhaps I should have felt guilty. Upset as well? Hurt would even be appropriate...but all I felt watching her was annoyed.

I attempted to ignore her as I collected my things for a bath. Isabella shouldn't have left, maybe then nothing would have changed between us. It's her fault. If she wants to be sullen towards anyone it should be herself.

As I washed, and thought of my wife quiet in the next room, I found myself becoming more annoyed with her. Leave it to Isabella to cry about our lack of conversations instead taking our Maria crisis seriously. Perhaps we're not mates anymore...perhaps that's what truly changed. Maybe that's why I could avoid running into her arms to hug her the moment she pouted now...but I still love her. I still _felt_ devoted to her. _That's what matters._ I still want to keep her safe and hold her at night and it did pain me to think Rosalie might be taking my place, but I couldn't seem to focus on my anger towards that for too long without being interrupted with greater issues.

_Think of it as a story. _I laughed a little as I tried to imagine myself so young and naive again. So easy to believe every fairy tale I heard. _So foolishly kind_ as Isabella once said. If I were still seventeen, pretending my problems were only a bad dream would have been easy with Isabella's guidance, but we're adults now and it's time we leave childish ways behind as painfully realistic as that may be.

I finished washing quickly, and shook my thoughts of Isabella away so I could mentally prepare myself to start the day and face whatever it might bring.

We're going to Bloodmoon...

How's that for an event?

Rosalie wouldn't plot against me, I don't think...She's too kind and too loyal for that. I could never imagine the Blonde Queen stabbing me in the back the way her husband had once, but then again there was a time I couldn't imagine Brice doing that either... Maybe Isabella was right to say I should knock that idea, but even so I can't deny the strangest of her sudden change in plans. She's not above random acts of kindness, but this was a bit far fetched. My mind wondered to the possibilities of what is in Bloodmoon for her whereas she suddenly _needed _to go. The last thing I want to have to do is ask, so I hoped that at some point before we leave she'd just tell me to put my mind at ease.

It's not fair to Rosalie for me to ask...

I've been begging for this for a while. I've finally got it. I should take that in stride, not question it. I owe her too much to seem ungrateful all of a sudden and I doubt she'd be happy with my questioning her motives with where our relationship now -might- stand.

I sighed returning to my room to get dressed and to pack for the trip.

I put on my clothing in silence and stuffed little of the clothes Rosalie provided for me into a travel bag and tied to closed. Even with my back to her I knew Isabella was staring, with that sad puppy look she tends to wear. I gritted my teeth, half tempted to snap at her.

I turned to her, to be met with what I expected. "Go bathe." I told her, pointing towards the bathroom. "It'll be a few days before you can have a proper shower again. I suggest you go."

She rose from the bed and grabbed my arms, pulling me closer to her. Without warning she leaned down and placed her lips on mine. The kiss is long, and makes my heart ache with pity for her. "If you think you not talking to me as I want you to is some ploy to push me away like everyone else then you'd best reconsider." She said with the same tenderness she used the night before, as though she was finishing the conversation -on her terms-. "

I grimaced. Of course, Isabella's doesn't lose. "I can't leave you alone when you're obviously struggling. Ignore me for the rest of your life if you want, but I'm not going anywhere." She released me after a smile and another kiss then, she did as she was told and gathered her things for a bath, leaving me with myself in the room.

Isabella put us at a standstill I realized...

I do not plan on focusing on my personal problems until Maria is dead, and Isabella doesn't plan to stop badgering me. I don't plan to cave, and neither will she.

* * *

**I'm sorry this chapter took so long. Being a junior sucks so much. My teachers expect *great* things from me. *hiss***

**Anyways, I'm not pleased with this chapter in slightest. I didn't get to cover what I wanted to. This wasn't supposed to be a Alice/Bella chapter at all, but it just sorta morphed itself into that and there was no way i could continue the chapter and get to what I wanted to without this being horrendously long. **

**I suppose you have to through the bad to get to the good. Hopefully the next chapter is better. I still care about this story a lot and I really want to finish it...**

**More when I can. **

**Till next time**

***Flies away* **


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12- **

After being hauled off to the dinning hall via Isabella's persistence, and ability to lift me, I found that I was displeased with this idea of a 'Trip to Bloodmoon' more than anything.

First of all, Brice would not be joining the little ragtag group Rosalie put together so hastily. He said, "Rosalie needs to learn how to handle situations on her own. How to be a 'Queen'. You understand, don't you little one? Besides, who would watch the Kingdom while she is away?" Then he stuffed a piece of meat in his mouth and laughed, sending food flying. I replied, letting him know Sasha was more than capable,or maybe even Rosalie's grandfather. We would not be gone for long according the blonde queen. Still, he shook his head and refused. "Rosalie can handle it." He said. I found it more of an excuse not to face Zafrina's indefinite wrath. Coward. Most of all, I found it adding to my suspicion. Whatever was so important to Rosalie, Brice thought that it could be handled without him, regardless of how inexperienced Rosalie was.

Maybe it wasn't anything for me to worry about. If so, why the hell hasn't she told me?

Secondly, Zafrina would be upset. I didn't care to much of what she thought of at this point. If she didn't want us to just show up, she should have replied to my letter, which she had over two months to do. Then as Brice said, a trip to her kingdom wouldn't be as necessary. She didn't. And now, we were going. If she wanted to upset about that, then so be it. It's her fault for causing me to worry so much in the first place. However, I did have to consider Rosalie's uncertain alliance with her, whether I liked to or not. Brice was right when he said we had to do everything in our power not to anger her. We need her. She's the only ally Bloodrose has. Even with how little she's involved, we're useless if she decides she's against us. Like the last time I met her, keeping her happy, or satisfied, was very important. So, we're going yes, but with great caution.

Brice lectured me on 'Behaving'. The last thing needed was Zafrina's back turned to us on account of my 'impulsive anger issues'. I shouldn't offend her. "Perhaps, i can offer Isabella a leash for you. Hmm?" He suggested. "She seems to be the only one who can tame you in the slightest." Isabella laughed till she choked at that, where I kicked the grinning old man as hard as I could in his shin. "You prove my point." He said wincing, then reached down to sooth his pain.

"I'll try my hardest..." I sneered, to which he nodded.

"That is all we ask of you."

The trip would be made with Rosalie, of course, her mother, Sasha, serving as her adviser for her first real meeting with another leader. The last thing Rosalie wanted, as she held a grudge, was me at her side again I figured. Isabella, because she would not be left behind when her imprint and _mate_ were going so far away. Her guards, of course, The queen of Bloodrose needed to be protected. Gods forbid she died and the fate of the kingdom be left in Katrina's hands. And finally, myself. This trip was something I begged for. If it's being done for any reason I'm certain of, it's because I had hauled Rosalie on it for so long.

"After you return, we'll start preparations." Brice offered. "Hopefully, everything goes as planned."

"_We'll_ start preparations." Isabella stressed, obviously meant to leave me out of the mix. Brice nodded his agreement.

I frowned, "And while you are off training and preparing whatever else, what am I meant to do?"

Brice used his fork to point to me, then lowered his gaze to my lap. "You will take my offer for a new leg-" Before I could object, Isabella was covering my mouth with her hands.

"Don't object." She urged. "Hush. Listen."

"-Then you will learn to move with a bit more grace." I rolled my eyes. I moved fine. At least I thought so. I was a step slower than everyone else, I noticed. Though everyone had the decency to slow down just a bit for me. I limped, that was inevitable. But I can carry myself. Isn't that what's important?

"And if you wish to fight, you will work on building that skill you have. It only truly comes out when you're angry. But, It's impressive. It deserves attention."

"And you'll teach me. I hope." Demetri added quietly. I didn't look at him. As proud as he was of his scars, it still made me uncomfortable and somewhat shamed. "I'll fight for my sister any day. That out-of-body _thing_ you can do will help."

"That's the plan for right now. We'll focus on the heavy when we get there. If you're right, if Maria isn't coming with war, then rushing is unnecessary at the moment." Breakfast moved quickly after that.

I didn't have the time to pull Rosalie off to the side and question her as I wanted before she ordered us to leave and do any further preparations we might need to as she wanted to leave as soon as possible. Besides, her refusal to acknowledge me throughout breakfast gave me reason to think that perhaps she didn't want to talk to me at all. I had the slightest feeling of guilt towards her. She was upset with me- that was obvious- but perhaps, I was the one who should initiate an apology. She was my savior from certain death after all, and it seemed more mature and appropriate than dragging on an unnecessary feud.

After thinking on it, I decided that I would- if I could get her alone that is.

Isabella dragged me back to my room, where she gathered fewer things than I for the trip. "This'll be fun." She said she worked. Her smile said I would not enjoy her idea of fun. How she even found something to make 'fun' out of this entire thing eludes me. I sat worried, not of Zafrina's reaction to our arrival of course, but for my children.

What will they think of me? Does that even matter right now? I could worry for their thoughts later, right now, nothing matters so long as they are safe where they are. Still, the thought of being a mother again- even for just a moment, paralyzed me. I don't think I am in any position to give soft and care hugs, kisses, or demonstrate patience of any type. I cannot love them as they need to be loved by right now.

"The trip I mean," She threw a glance at me, to make sure I was still listening. I was. "If Brice were coming we'd have a lot of funny stories to share along the way, but I suppose that'll be my job."

I hummed. "A have a few dozen to share." She continued. "I'll have you out of this grim in no time."

"I'm not in a 'Grim'" I argued back, but of course, against Isabella that was pointless.

"You are." She said. "And only because you don't listen to me. A fortnight and then some, stuck with me and my stories. That'll be good for your mood. How could you possibly stay upset?"

She became quiet for a short moment as she tied her bag shut and then sat it next to mine. She pulled me from my spot against the wall and sat me in her lap after she flopped down on the bed. She locked her arms around my waist and put her lips lovingly at my neck, mumbling that I am tense and then gave me nuzzles. "Are you scared?" She asked.

I thought about it for a moment, then finally gave her a nod. I was terrified.

"You shouldn't be. The children will be delighted to see you again. And Zafrina will be pleased to see how strong you are now..." I tried to let her words sink in a comfort me, but even while i accepted them, comfort never came to sooth my worries.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13-**

A fortnight and then some, stuck with Isabella and her stories. Then she wonders why I'm annoyed. At first it was interesting (Then it quickly became irritating as she shared our more embarrassing moments), pleasant even, listening to her talk and hearing the lightness in her voice that followed by her laughter. It was great. I felt, just for a moment, like how we were. She wasn't lying when she said she had a few dozen stories to share. She hasn't stopped talking since we left. Her tales varied from stories of her childhood to fairy tales. She shared stories of her she'd escape Marie's grips, how she'd get her dresses messy and ruined to the point where her mother just gave up forcing them on to her, stories of how she'd play jokes on the elder's council when they came to see her and her family. She even threw in a few about her and Zafrina because it seemed 'appropriate'. Apparently Zafrina wasn't nearly as strict as she seemed once you got her fight. Something told me the fights that took place between them were nothing merciful. Isabella promised that if she could get Zafrina to, she'd show us the scars she left on her body. Then her fairy tales, 'just for me' she promised. She bragged about how much I liked them when we were children, though now they couldn't get a smile out of me.

"You told me they were only stories." I reminded her. She shrugged.

"Yeah, but that never stopped you from enjoying them." She grinned and ran her fingers through the length of my hair, then tucked some of it behind my ears. "Remember the pixie story?" I nodded and soon enough I was reminiscing with her.

Rosalie laughed at the idea of me having short, some what jagged, hair.

"Perhaps, If I cut your hair for you again, you will lighten up?" I shook my head, though Isabella claimed it was 'Worth a try'. She continued with her stories, until I thought she was all out.

But where she ended Rosalie began. Sharing her childhood with Isabella as well. How profoundly Isabella listened made me somewhat uncomfortable. She kept her arms locked around me, because she forced me into her lap and had no choice, but her gaze was set deeply on Rosalie, even though her head rested on my breasts. I'd rather it if she were the one sharing again. Rosalie's stories about her and Kate just weren't as amusing. Though her voice was softer and sweeter than Isabella. I bet if Kate were here the stories would hold some more of my interest. I could just imagine the drunk the carrying on and on about how much of a prude her younger sister was when they were younger.

Even Sasha chimed in with stories of her. Mostly Romance, which held my attention longer than Isabella's and Rosalie's tales did combined. She shared sweet stories of Victor, as menacing as he was, he loved her. That she could not deny. Though, she admitted he wasn't her first love. She recalled stories about my home- Lotus, and how protective Victor was of her whenever she visited Marie- as few times as that was.

"Don't the clothes in Bloodrose feel a lot softer on your skin Alice?" She asked. I nodded, though I did prefer my Lotus cloths more. "Everything in Lotus is just so rough. It was unbelievable. I took to wearing Victor's clothing whenever we visited."

"I wore Isabella's clothes a lot when she left." I admitted. Isabella squeezed me at that and gave my neck a nuzzle. I smiled a little.

Sasha continued far into her later life, how Victor changed, became obsessed, as many of the elders did with destroying his enemies- me included- and how that led to the failure of their relationship and soon after- his demise.

I didn't comment anymore once Sasha was finished. Once the telling of stories wore thin- I realized I was the only one who had not shared.

I certainly did not want to speak of what I went through after Isabella's death. And before Isabella I was a slave. I didn't want to talk about that either. I had no tales to tell.

Lucky for me, it was only a few days after the telling of the stories subsided that we arrived in Bloodmoon.

The kingdom is like a forest. One giant forest. The people, like Senna and Zafrina are half dressed, in natural colors- like muddy brown, and dark green. Their skin color varied from very dark, to light and creamy caramel like it Senna's. And they hair, though beautiful, was kept either wild or in braids.

"It doesn't get cold here often." Isabella told me. "Do you think it's pretty Alice?"

I nodded. "It's very pretty here." I admitted. As we neared closer to the palace, my stomach knotted tighter and tighter. It's happening. I'm going to see them. I had to remind myself to breathe. Isabella seemed to notice, and thankfully, she shared my worries. She laid her head in the crook of my shoulder and sighed, intertwined our fingers and then gave my hand and small and reassuring squeeze.

"It's okay," She promised me. "It is."

I felt ready to vomit from my anxiety as we pulled up to the palace gates- where had to stop because, "King Zafrina isn't taking visitors. Go away. Now." The guard man said. He was wasn't dressed in much armor, though he was armed with a spear.

Isabella frowned, growled then nudged me from her lap so she could come out. I followed her. She grabbed the man by little clothing he wore and shoved him against the wall. "I'm a bit low on patience. Tell Zafrina her friends are here to say hello. She won't refuse us." She told him.

The man became defensive, as did the others. "And what friends are you?" He struggled.

"King Isabella of Lotus." Isabella said. "And Queen Rosalie of Bloodrose. Go, now! I don't want to wait."

"King Isabella of Lotus is dead!" The man squirmed to get out of her grip. "You lie! Go tell King Zafrina we have intruders! She lies!"

Someone ran off. "Isabella let him. Zafrina will think we came here to scare her men." Rosalie said gently. Isabella released him.

"Be patient. You'll see her soon."

After a long minutes of waiting, Zafrina appeared at the gates, with her guard man pointing at us, in anger. Isabella smiled at her. "See?" She asked the guard.

Zafrina froze abruptly. I froze. There she was, after so long. She looks tired- that's the first thing I noticed. She had dark bags under her eyes, and premature wrinkles beginning to form. She stood in that same strong stance I remember and gave me that same disapproving frown. "L-let them in." She commanded. As soon as the gates opened, Isabella rushed to hug her, though Zafrina seemed too dumbstruck to do anything but just stand there.

"It's been too long." She said. Zafrina stiffly reached and patted Isabella lightly on the back. When she pulled away she studied her face with bewilderment.

"How-"

"I'll explain. I promise. But for now, may we see the children?"

* * *

A little while later we all stood in a hall, to where we were to be led to Zafrina's council room for a discussion. Zafrina still didn't seem to come to terms with any of this. She stopped walking and turned to look at me. Her hands are somehow heated as she reaches out and strokes my cheeks, cautiously as if she were checking if I'm real or not. For a short moment she lingered, breathing heavy and harsh breaths as she stared. Soon, she pulls her hand back and resumes her hard stance, same as the day we met, only this time, it doesn't frighten me or even make me the least bit uncomfortable."You've changed." She mutters. I can only barely manage a nod. I don't know what to say to her. A simple_ thank you_ couldn't be enough. It _wouldn't _be enough. Never in my years will I be able to find the words appropriate for thanking her. What she's done for me is worth much more than foolish little words. For now all I can do it stare and swallow down the tears threatening to make me seem weak in front of her. Everything about her is different. Her coffee brown skin is darker, her face is slimmer than before, her eyes are browner and her lips thinner and more hardened in that straight line. I'm not sure if I'm just imagining that she's different, because I haven't seen her in so long. "Especially in the face, you look serious...and troubled." Her dark face went pale.

"I've been through a lot." I admitted. She nodded and the turned to Isabella and did the same with her. Isabella's smile was contagious. Watching her grin at Zafrina made me smile as well. For once, I felt at peace about something.

Relaxed.

"We all have. There is a lot to talk about." Zafrina did something that seemed like a cringe.

"Um, yes." She mumbled. "We do. Forgive me- this is all just-...I mean I didn't expect-" She gulped and took a shaking breath before she continued. "Brice said Alice was alive. That was news enough to come to terms with. He never mentioned you- how is this even real? I thought you were hanged? Maria said-"

Isabella raised her hand to her throat where she swallowed and shook her head. "It's long and complicated. I promise we will tell you everything."

Senna stood there as well. So quiet I almost didn't notice her again. Her eyes were teary and as soon as her wife returned to her side, she gripped her arm tightly. "Ignore her." Zafrina asked of us. "Senna is just as confused as I am. She doesn't know how else to show it."

Senna shook her head, but Zafrina glared at her. "I'll handle it." Zafrina promised her. Then she continued to walk until we arrived in a large room with a large table big enough to fit all of us and more- just as I expected a council room to look. I sat, and waited for everyone to become settled before I asked.

"Where are the children?" I didn't mean to sound like I was rushing- but I was. It was killing me. They are here. Somewhere. Hopefully. Just a few steps away.

"Mercy is playing in the garden with Josephine. And Dorotheus is playing soldiers with his school mates." My heart broke. Dorotheus is six now. Of course he's in a school.

"Oh,"

"Yes." Senna said in her small voice.

"We'll discuss the matter of the children later. There's a lot to say concerning just that alone. Not to mention all the other things we probably have to get to as well." Zafrina said. Isabella nodded eagerly.

"The sooner the better." Isabella did not have all the details to give Zafrina a complete history on everything that happened in the four years we were away. All she knew was what she was told, about her death, about her return, about my never being dead at all, and about our time spent in Bloodrose, hidden, but that was seemingly enough to send Zafrina seething. Senna was crying silently as we finished talking, but I am sure that was for reasons not related to what Isabella and I went through.

"Your mother messed with the dead!" She cried. "You can't do that! You _don't _do that. Who knows whats to come because of this? You- you...THIS IS WRONG! What kind of payment will the gods require? What kind of hell have you unleashed upon us?" Zafrina inched away from Isabella, uncomfortable with touching her. "They dead should stay dead."

"I'm sure you are overreacting." Isabella warned her. "Whatever payment the gods require will come in due time. Till then, I think it's only fair we focus on our issues at hand."

"Ugh-" Zafrina shook her head. "No." She closed her eyes and quickly began to chant a prayer in her language.

"They Gods are with us Zafrina. That is why I am here." Isabella responded.

"Your Hades is who is with you!" She snapped. "Death is not meant to play with!"

Isabella sighed and looked to me. "May we worry about this later?" I agreed. "We have greater things to focus on, Zafrina."

"Maria is one of those things." Rosalie added. "You and I need to talk about that."

Zafrina, still in her frenzy about Isabella's 'playing with the dead', stood and drew Senna close to her as well. "You shouldn't have come. I'll you what I told Maria. The answer is no. I'm not joining your war. Stop her on your own terms. I don't want to be involved. Bloodmoon does not fight. We don't disturb the nature of things." She glared at Isabella. "You can leave. Take your dead with you. We want no part of your sins."

Rosalie frowned. "We have not come so far to be told no Zafrina. The least you can do is listen, strike a trade with me if you must. After you have heard everything I have to say then we will leave. I will not be ignored anymore. This is dragging on too far."

"Let us relax," Sasha offered, acting as a mediator. "Zafrina sit, there is nothing to fear just yet. We'll discuss whether you agree with Isabella's return or not later. Right now, there are more lives at sake."

Zafrina stood stiff where she was. Despite Isabella's welcoming smile, she still said no, and gave her a look of fear.

"Lets talk about the children first, to satisfy Alice. She's been very worried." Sasha offered. Senna tugged on Zafrina's arm. Talk of the children didn't seem to calm either of them down in the slightest.

"Are you here to take them?" Senna asked. I shrugged.

"That what I wanted at first. I don't like them being so far away from me when Maria is said to be roaming. I know she won't attack, as she has no men to waste, but just the thought of her being around them makes me frightened for them. But if they are safe here then I don't see any-"

"-You can't have them!" Senna blurted out quickly. I paused.

"Excuse me?"

"You can't have them." She repeated softer. "They're mine. You left. You _died. _They're mine now. Go away again."

Zafrina shoved Senna behind her when I stood, mostly of disbelief rather than defense. I shook my head, unsure if I really just heard what I think I did. "Hybrid!" She warned. "Ease, we will explain the best we can."

"Alice, remember we need her on our side." Rosalie grasped my arm and tugged me back down into my seat. "You won't attack her. We need her. You promised you'd behave."

"You left for four years." Zafrina started. Right away, I knew I would not like what was coming from her. "We thought you were dead. It was fate. We asked for one and got two- then you died. What were we supposed to do? You can't just reappear and then demand them back. Mercy and Dorotheus like it here. They are safe here. We took care of them while you were 'dead'. You can't have them. They aren't yours to have anymore."

Once her words settled, I found myself becoming angry. I didn't remember that Rosalie was holding on to my hands, so as they became heated- hot like fire- she yelped and jerked away.

"You stole our children." Isabella growled. When I looked at her, her eyes were purple.

"You cannot steal children that no longer belong to anyone. We figured, Alice knew she was going to die and this was her offering to us. _She gave them to us._ We refuse to give them back."

"I'm sure that's not the way Alice sees it." Before Isabella could stand to get a grip on Zafrina, it happened.

There she was- however it is possible. Like vapor. My mirrored version. Strong like an alpha, eyes shining bright blue, right there in front of Zafrina.

* * *

**Welp. There ya go. **

**I had this brilliant idea to stop writers block and it worked. **

**I figured, instead of forcing everything to flow in one chapter, I'd just break them up into mulitple chapters and update them all at once. I tried not to over think it too much. **

**Trial one: Successful. **

**I like this chapter. So yay. Comments, thoughts, and reviews are _greatly _loved and appreciated so please, go ahead and feel free to do that. **

**Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14- **

Isabella was the first to react, sadly that was a mistake on her part, because the first thing she did was reach out and grab my mirrored image. The touch couldn't have lasted anything longer than a few seconds, but that was enough. The skin of her palm was scorched red and quickly starting to bleed. She hissed and pulled back, stumbling into the table. My vapor turned to look at her un-remorseful, emotionless even, waiting for a command. I wanted her to grab Zafrina by the neck, scar her like she had scarred Demetri. Then perhaps twist the head from Senna's feeble little body. Anything she thought might justify their crimes.

She didn't move and I didn't command it. My attention drifted to my mate, who, of course, refused to cry out in any type of pain regardless the obvious fact that it hurt. My mirrored image disappeared, due to my lack of focus on her, and Rosalie yelled at me in same moment Senna began to cry again in a more panicked type of hysteria.

I ignored them both, raising to join Isabella. She was silently staring at her arm. Was that disbelief on her face? Anger? Shock? All of the above? I couldn't tell exactly, but it was friendly. I took her palm in my own and inspected it, it was red and already beginning to blister. "You're an alpha." I told her. "You'll heal quickly." I offered to wrap it for her, but Isabella stubbornly shook her head.

"I'm fine." She declared. "Are you-"

I shook my head, still pissed off, still wanting to kill something- anything. "You don't threaten people Alice!" Rosalie yelled. I fanned her off. I did not want to yelled at like a child, but she was right- somewhat.

"She deserved it." I snarled. "But I'm sorry anyways. Let me see my children." Zafrina's face was full of fury, but deep down I knew she would not attack me. She held on tightly to Senna, who was shivering behind her. Bloodmoon doesn't fight. The most she has ever done was threaten, growl, snap maybe. Her commanding tone was enough to frighten people like Senna and Rosalie into obedience. For me, it wasn't nothing. I didn't feel the same fear I did for her as when we first met. I all I felt was annoyed with her, angry even, but I forced myself to keep it down as best I could. The only power she truly over me is her alliance, and I cannot risk it- again.

"After this, you really think I would let you near my children? Do you think you're safe to be around? Hybrid, it was wrong for you to come here after so long. All of you. This is all wrong." She turned her glare to Isabella, who still in something of a daze to care that she was being yelled at and insulted. "You and your mate should long be dead. Go back. Go away."

"Do you really think we have time to worry about who should be dead and who shouldn't? My visit with _my _children will only take a second. Then we may talk about alliance with Bloodrose." I said. It didn't seem to do any good. She fumed.

"I'm not allied with anyone."

"Would you seriously sit back and let innocent people die?"

She huffed. "The world is in chaos. That's your fault. Not mine. I have no one to offer."

"You did four years ago." I pointed out. She rolled her eyes.

"And did they make a difference? My people will not die for your cause."

* * *

It was getting a bit dark out and so far we have made no progress with Zafrina. She wouldn't even allow us to talk about it anymore and Rosalie stopped every single one of my attempts either with words or a glare. Zafrina could kick us out if she wanted and we still hadn't even gotten to touch the topic of her alliance. We spent hours arguing, unproductively. Stubborn little bitch, I wanted to call her. I didn't. Rosalie wouldn't appreciate it and I've "done enough". I tried to play off my disobedience of her rules for this trip by smiling and offering my services should she need them. Zafrina was a tough one to crack. Rosalie didn't appreciate that either. She declared that we had done enough hassling for one day and tomorrow _she _would start fresh. I would stay out of the matter if I couldn't control my anger. In truth, I knew that meant I probably wouldn't be attending. I was too pissed off to be civil and my anger would ruin the slim chance of Rosalie's convincing her to join forces and whatever else Rosalie might want to talk about.

Besides, we'll be here for a few days. There is no way they could keep the children away that long. We were bound to run into them eventually. As unfortunate as that is. I nearly laughed. I have to _run in _to my own children if I wanted to see them.

Zafrina was decent enough to provide a room for Isabella and I to share and one for Rosalie and another for her mother. So there we sat for a while, running over the details of the day, trying to bring some sense to them.

"Ow." Isabella finally said. Her face twisted, as if the admitting she was in pain hurt more than actually being in pain.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "I'm sorry I hurt you." I sat beside her, and took her hand gently in mine. It was beginning to heal, of course, but I was certain it would scar her. "I could go and ask for something to put on it for you? They're so _spiritual _they must have something that'll ease it.""

"I'm fine, stop offering. It'll heal on its own, and quite honestly, I'd rather rip Zafrina's head off than ask her for anything." I nodded my agreement. Zafrina angered us both. Isabella handled it better than I did. She's always been better at hiding things, but it was only so long before she broke as well. I suddenly remember our awkward embrace when she first cried in front me, the only time she admitted she wasn't invincible. This must have been really embarrassing for her...

"Should I kiss it then?" I mumbled in an attempt to get her to smile a little.

She frowned for only a second, staring at her burned hand then laughed. "You hurt me." She snorted."_You _hurt _me._" Another laugh, this one was longer, and a bit hysterical. "How impossible."

I frowned. "Are you doubting that I truly hurt you? Really? After it happened?" I wasn't proud of her getting hurt on account of me, of course, but still my ego was a little crushed hearing her deny that I was the one who did this to her. "After so long, I get you to say ow, and you deny the fact that I caused it."

She shrugged. "Well, it doesn't count. It wasn't _you _per-se, it was just...a...um...someone who looked like you? I don't know. I'm confused, and my palm hurts."

I rolled my eyes. "That's not fair. It came from me. So it counts! I hurt you. Admit that."

She hummed and then raised a questioning brow at me. "Does that give you some sort of satisfaction, Love?"

"Tons."

She gave me a cunning little grin and leaned over to brush my nose against hers. "Well, it shouldn't, considering you've hurt me before. Perhaps not in this way. A good pain. You've certainly made me scream."

My face heated in blush. I began to smile a little, then I laughed with her. "Is that a sex joke?"

"Would that be inappropriate?"

"Well, you're in pain because of me, so yes."

"But you it gives you _tons _of satisfactions. I left a pacifist and came back to a sadist." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not a sadist. It's just funny to think, I took down my Alpha." Isabella face lite up.

"That sounds like a challenge..."

"It's not a challenge if I already won!"

"Ah, but it is." Isabella jested back. "I call for a rematch, me against your..." She trialed off, unable to find the words to name my mirrored image. I didn't have anything to call it either.

I sighed, and released her hand. I'm not ashamed of it. It's good, or at least it will be once I learn how I'm able to project a mirrored image of me from my body, and then learn to control it. I don't know how limited it's power is, but I am eager to find out.

Then again, life would be much easier if there were no more surprises to add to what I already am. I have enough to figure out. Myself shouldn't be on that list anymore.

"You've gone quiet." Isabella pointed out after a few moments. "Did I say something wrong?" I shook my head.

"No, I'm just thinking..."

"So, now would be a bad time to ask for an explanation?"

"Even if it wasn't, I wouldn't have one to give you. It just sort of comes. I've been really angry lately. Sometimes it gets out of hand, and my heart starts beating really fast, and my skin gets hot...and there it is. Like a part of me that is brave and strong enough to defend itself."

Isabella puts her good hand at my waist and pulls me closer to her. "We'll figure it out." She promised. "We always do. Perhaps you can Brice what he knows, or even Sasha. And we'll be in Bloodmoon for a while, they're _spiritual _as you said. Maybe they'll have something in the libraries or-"

A small knock on the door interrupted her. She frowned towards it. "Why does every moment I have with you get ruined?"

She rose, releasing me to open the door. "What is it?" What one I saw of our interruption was bright orange hair. She squealed rather loudly, and wrapped her arms around Isabella in a hug, speaking quick words I barely caught. Isabella chuckled and hugged back, so I assumed it was not bad news we were receiving, for once. I stood from the bed and on my tip toes to see over Isabella better.

"...I heard you were alive but Zafrina often- ALICE!"

Azah. She was bouncing in her spot when I came next to Isabella. I couldn't fight my smile. It's Azah. It was really her. Her pale skin was a bit tanned now, and her freckles spread from her face to her bare shoulders and arms. Her wild orange hair was tamed now in two big braids going down her back, but all in all, it was her. All grown up of course, looking more like a woman. She dressed like Senna and Zafrina did, her stomach, shoulders and legs bare and the rest of her barely covered in brown wools.

I had to take a long minute to take her all in, then i was crying as we shared a tight hug. "Look at you!" She flustered. "Oh my gods. I knew you were hard to kill! I knew it! Oh Gods, I missed you. Don't scare me like that again!" She gave me another tight hug and buried her face in my shoulders. She squealed again, happy and excited. She was practically jumping in my arms.

Isabella smiled and tugged on my arm, pulling me away from my reunion with Azah. I was met with brown doe eyes much like Isabella's and an unruly mess of long, tangled curls atop a little head and a teary smile.

"Momma!" Dorotheus stepped from where he was somewhat hiding behind Azah and stared up at me.

"He wanted to meet you!" Azah said, shaking a bit. "Zafrina couldn't keep your arrival secret. Everyone knows you're here. And well...he's been waiting. Even if I said no, he would have found you some way." I froze. He was so big now. Not entirely grown up, yet already it feels like I missed a lot.

Maybe I'm just short, but he seemed so tall. He already reached my waist. I vaguely aware how much I was blubbering, but I didn't care. He's my son. He's right there. I reach out and pulled him to me in a hug so tight it probably should have killed him. He wrapped his arms around me in the same effort and called out something I didn't understand too well because his face was buried in my stomach. I didn't think I would ever be finished hugging him but eventually I had to pull away so Isabella could show him the same love.

Dorotheus and Azah. My night suddenly looked a lot better.

"We have a lot to catch up on." Azah said, reaching out to wipe my eyes. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. We do. Come in..." I choked out, holding the door open for them to step through. Dorotheus reached forward and held on to my hand, tightly. I picked him up, though he was heavy now and carried him to the bed where I sat with him in my lap.

He said something in a tongue I didn't understand and then stared at him. Isabella frowned. "He doesn't speak his language?"

"Um, he kind of does. It's weak, but he wants to learn. I teach him when I can. Zafrina is completely against it. Of course." Dorotheus tugged on my arm, as if he thought my attention wasn't completely on him, then frowned and growled something that sounded nasty in another tongue at Azah.

She replied gently, as I remembered she always did. She was always so patient with him.

"He wants to know why you don't understand him." Isabella translated. "He's upset. He missed you."

Dorotheus turned to give her a cute little look. Then he pointed and smiled, asking Isabella a question. She responded with a nod. I engulfed him in another tight hug. What luck, my son can talk now, properly and even so, it's like he's a baby again still struggling to form his words. He's waited four years. He probably has so much to say and I can't even understand him. "Tell him I missed him too. Very much."

She did, and Dorotheus held on to me too, like his life depended on it. Then he pulled a way to look at my face and again said words I did not understand. It upset me even more that Zafrina didn't even care to teach him his language. She would have completely stripped him of his heritage.

"He says he knew you'd come back." Azah said with a smile. "He did. He remembers you in bits and pieces and he had a lot of faith in you. He tells me stories all the time. He even tried to teach Mercy the same, but she doesn't like hearing about you too much."

I frowned. "Where is she?" I suddenly ached much more to see my little baby. I wondered how she looked. I wondered how much she grew. How tall she is. If her hair is a curly mess like Dorotheus'...

"She clings to Senna." Azah answered, her voice lined with venom. She joined me on the bed and gave me a sorry smile. "There is nothing I can really do about it. I'm just their servant. It's not like I can tell him how wrong they were. But, we all sort of thought you were dead. What happened anyways? How did you survive? Tell me everything."

I sighed, burying my nose in Dorotheus' curls. Gosh, he's so beautiful.

"It's not a story she's keen on sharing." Isabella said. "I haven't even heard it."

Azah's face fell with disappointment. "Oh," She said. "Is it that horrible?"

I nodded. "It's brutal. I don't like reliving it. But it doesn't matter. I want to hear about you and my children. Have they been good?"

Azah giggled and shook her head. "Hell no. They're _your_ kids. Did you expect them to behave?"

I smiled with her. "I suppose not. But things change. It's been years. Does Dorotheus still like beheading things?"

"Oh no," Azah said. She turned her smile to Dorotheus, to let him know we were speaking of him. "He's taken on new interests. Like, playing soldiers. Hanging Mercy's dolls. Slaying the guards. He wants to be a ruthless King, like Isabella. He admires the stories of her I've him."

Isabella grinned, satisfied with that. She came and sat on the other side of me, wrapping her arms around me and Dorotheus. "He'll make a fine King..."

"Once we take back Lotus that is..."

Azah gave a small frown thinking of Lotus. "Is that why you're here? You're planning a coup?"

"We're hoping to. Maria can't stay where she is. Too many people are dying and we are the rightful rules of Lotus. We know she is weak, but not much else. We were hoping Zafrina would-"

"Zafrina has already met with Maria. She refused and Maria just left without a word. I think she plans on taking Bloodmoon, but like I said, I'm just the servant they don't tell me much." Azah interrupted.

"Wait, what?" Zafrina has already met with Maria? My heart sunk. "What happened?"

"Well, I don't know. Talk to Zafrina. Maybe she will tell you, but from what I heard Maria seemed desperate." Isabella frowned.

"She won't talk to us."

"Forgive me for saying this, but I think you should make her. Maria isn't going to stop, you know that. I'm not sure what more wants. She has Moonstone doing her bidding, and everyone else seems afraid of her. Whatever it is, she wants it. You can't lose again just because Zafrina doesn't want to join a side. This goes beyond just Malice for you and your kind I'm sure."

Isabella grinned a little, adding a bit of lightness to the serious of this topic. "Has everyone changed? When did you become outspoken? You used to trail behind Alice like a quiet shadow."

Azah blushed. "Well, I missed my Queen. And my friends. They don't treat you quite the same here. Please, try to get through to Zafrina, I want to go home."

I frowned and nodded. "I will," Dorotheus put his little hands on my face and turned me to look at him again. I smiled down at him. I don't think he likes being ignored, even for just a moment. "But for tonight. I just want to think of my children." I said, giving my all attention to him.

* * *

**Yay. Oh Dorotheus love. I've waited for their Reunion for a while. I kept putting it off. **

**I hope you enjoyed this. I loved writing it. **

**Leave me thoughts? Comments? Reviews? Please and thanks. **

**Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15- **

Dorotheus wore Isabella's maliciously ruthless war face as he contemplated his next move. His opponent was a boy with dark skin and short, thick curly hair and just about the same size as he was, only I'm sure he was older. His eyes shone their Lycan gray and his canines poked through his sealed lips, small, but sharp, somewhat resembling my own. He didn't not look as vicious as my son, but he did not look frightened to be facing him either. He stood firm waiting for my son to make a move first. A few feet of empty space separated them. It was silence as we waited, eerie silence, like the moments before death. He reminded me so much of Isabella, who was beside me, her face a mask of pride and joy for her son.

Still too young to shift, and not recognized as a true, full Lycan by the gods (And though I never was, I had no doubt that the offspring of Isabella would be) Dorotheus did all he could. His claws were small, pointed and sharp. His eyes shone a brilliantly bright purple and he sprung into action, catching his opponent, who up until had seemed so attentive, off guard. He closed the space between them in a matter of seconds and threw the boy to the ground, and sat atop him. The boy grabbed Dorotheus' arms, and the sparring was soon a battle of who could push who back down first. Their grunts were small, and a bit adorable in the sense of it all. Dorotheus seemed strong enough, but still it took him a few minutes to successfully pin his opponent back down and shake him until he screamed something in his native tongue.

"I yield. I yield." Isabella whispered to me. "Disappointing." She said much louder, then called for her son to turn to our side. Dorotheus released the boy and his Lycan subsided. He wore a grin as he trotted back over to us. Isabella knelt to his level and began to speak to him. I listened idly, unsure of what she was saying, but based on Dorotheus' smile I assumed it was nothing to break his spirit.

"She's telling how much stronger he would be by now if he lived at his home." Azah said. "Um,.." She waited for Isabella to complete a sentence before rolling her eyes and going, "_In Lotus, we don't wait for them to say 'I yield'. We do not show our enemies mercy. The fight should not have been over until his legs broken and-_"

"Isabella!" I frowned. They both looked at me with the same innocence in their eyes. "Do not tell him that. He will learn in time. He's still very young."

"He's old enough!" Isabella protested. I scoffed her off. She shrugged and ruffled Dorotheus' hair. "I'm proud of him anyways."

It was early in the morning, just a little bit before breakfast. Dorotheus had woken Isabella and I first at dawn, wordlessly pulling us from bed and into his room. Azah said he was too excited to sleep. He boasted to his sister about our arrival for most of the night after we said our 'good nights' and Mercy apparently cried so hard Senna had to retrieve her and bring her back to their bedchambers for the night. Whatever little sleep Dorotheus got, it seemed to be enough for him to thrive off us as he led us through his room. It everything I expected it to be for a child of Lotus.

Wooden swords, though Isabella complained they should have been real. Fake armor. (Thin layered metal with the Bloodmoon insignia printed on the breast plate. It was much lighter than real armor of course, and offered enough support against wooden swords) Hanged dolls, that probably belonged to Mercy. Azah told him how he gave every single one of them a trial before executing a punishment. Isabella's chest swelled with pride. I thought she would burst with how proud she was of him. Various books were scattered across his dresser. Even in another language I recognized the Gods when I saw them.

"Senna makes sure he prays." Azah explained. "And he likes their stories. He can name more of them than Mercy can, though Senna doesn't really force her to pray. She 'needs no redemption' Senna says."

"And my son does?" I raised a questioning eyebrow. Azah shrugged.

"The boy would kill the dogs at the gate if they'd let him."

After that, he bathed and I helped. It was successful for a person who had not been a mother in four years. I can't deny how awkward it was. Washing his long curly hair was more of a me getting my fingers tangled and caught with them and tugging and pulling to try and tame them some fest. Eventually I gave up, much to both of our relief. Then he dressed in his slacks and demanded we watch him spar with his classmates.

"They don't train often." Azah said as we made our way to the dining hall for breakfast. "Bloodmoon doesn't fight, so it's rather unnecessary. Zafrina does the bare minimal to maintain an army. They can protect them selves just well enough to have a slim chance of survival and not much else."

"You see why they are weak my love?" Isabella asked. "Zafrina needs this alliance just as much as we do."

"Lets hope she complies then." There was meeting scheduled for noon. Isabella said it was probably going to go on long into the night if Zafrina held up on her stubbornness and would definitely go on into the night if she agreed without argument as we would begin preparations immediately.

Dorotheus tugged on Isabella arms, signalling for her attention. "He wants to know if we're taking him home." She said. Then she gave me a look that said the decision was mine to render.

I sighed. Azah looked at me as well, perhaps hoping for an answer just as much as he was. "Well, I don't know." I told them truthfully. "Our main goal is to keep Zafrina on our side. I'll have to work out some arrangements with her that hopefully will suffice until our war is won. Then I will take you home permanently for sure. Right now, she seems attached. And making a break would only anger her."

Azah grumbled. "For a minute there my hopes were high."

I didn't apologize, mostly because I didn't know how. There are already reasons to justify my being gone for four years and there are reasons to justify why I cannot take them back with me though I really wanted to. There are reasons to justify why I will probably be gone for a few more years as well. All these reasons would make sense to Azah, but to Dorotheus I feared I would not have the same luck.

Though he could not understand the words I spoke, his little face filled with disappointment. He knows when something is wrong I assumed. He's smart.

We arrived at the dinning hall in silence. Zafrina, Senna, Rosalie, Sasha, and woman I had not seen before were all already seated around the table. In the woman's arms was a child, her pale face hidden in the crook of her neck. Her deep brown hair was think, long and straight going down her back. I didn't have to be told to know that was Mercy. For a child of almost five years, she incredibly small, and skinny, and just as fragile looking as the day she was born.

Zafrina frowned at us as we sat. I was in between Rosalie and the strange woman holding my child, Isabella was across from me and Dorotheus was by her side. Azah stood behind me, as she was a servant and not allowed to dine with royal blood.

"Dorotheus." Zafrina continued in her language, her tone a few short of a snarl. Dorotheus frowned and inched closer to Isabella. She frowned and whatever it was Isabella replied, it shut her up.

"I don't want him near you." Senna mumbled. I glared, earning myself a smack on the arm from Rosalie.

"Ignore it," She whispered. "Please." I sighed and slumped in my seat. Mercy, who was hidden until now peaked out at me. I was met with the same doe-brown eyes as last night, only her eyes were red and puffy. Her cheeks were flushed and various lengths of her stuck to her face. I gave her the softest smile I could, but her face screwed into a wail and soon she was sobbing again.

"She's beautiful." Rosalie commented. Senna's face lite up. She smiled, a rose from the table to take Mercy in a motherly embrace that should be mine. Jealousy burned in my chest. "Children are a blessing. Brice and I are have been trying, but obviously to no avail. The sooner I bare him a son, the better. He needs an heir."

"With how keen Maria is on disturbing everything, what's the point?" Zafrina said bitterly. "Don't give her anything to destroy." Rosalie pointed, clearly taken aback by Zafrina's bluntness.

"How about we don't talk about children?" I said with a coldness directed at the two rulers of Bloodmoon.

"Agreed." Isabella said. "We'll work that out later, in a civilized manner."

"Nothing to work out." Zafrina said. Tension stiffened the air around the table. It was uncomfortably silent until the breakfast was served and then the only sounds were metal clinking against plates and wine glasses being refilled. I was pissed off, tense, and desperately waiting for noon.

Dorotheus grinned at me over his plate, a mischievous little grin that seemed to go unnoticed by everyone else. I smiled back.

What the hell was running through his little head? Then he laughed and mumbled something. Mercy wailed at him, then picked up a small round of bread from Senna's plate and launched it at him. Isabella caught it. Mercy frowned and said something that sounded like a whine.

Isabella smiled, and shrugged her shrugged. "He's tormenting her." She explained, nudging him. I gave Dorotheus a small frown, as I could not scold him any other way. "It's brotherly stuff." She said nonchalantly. Senna frowned and held Mercy closer to her. Otherwise, the small sibling tiff went ignored.

"Do they drink blood?" I ask just as the question pops into my mind. The was a small moment of silence as everyone registered the question. Senna and Zafrina shared a glanced before they both turned to look at me.

"Um, no..." Zafrina answered hesitantly. "They can live off of food. It's pointless. Besides, they don't complain about being thirsty."

I frowned, and here she called me a bad a parent. "So? They are part vampire, and if I lust for it, I'm sure they do as well. As babies they did. Are you kidding me? Dorotheus enjoyed it more than he did solids. Maybe they just can't put words to it."

"They don't _lust _for anything." Zafrina sneered. "If it's not necessary, there is no reason for it to be done. Bloodmoon doesn't fight. And we do not kill."

"You can feed without killing-"

"And who would offer their neck for the sake of hybrid children?"

"It's not a choice. It's an obligation. Who cares about offers? If no wants to offer, why not force them? It's_ parenting._"

Her frown deepened. "We liberals. We won't force anyone if they refuse. We are not Lotus. If they don't thirst for it then there is no reason-"

"They know about what they are do they?"

"What happened to not talking of children?" Rosalie asked quickly, attempting to ease the growing friction between Zafrina and I. "Enough, Alice. Please." She pleaded. The metal of the fork began to bend with my tight grip around it. I know I shouldn't keep quiet. I should tear Zafrina's head from her shoulders for her lack of care towards what they truly were.

Slowly, I gave up and returned my gaze to my plate. I hadn't eaten much.

I'm thirsty.

* * *

I was allowed to attend the council meeting after all. I sat between Isabella, Rosalie, myself, and Sasha all sat on one side of the table. (In that order) Zafrina, Senna and the woman who held Mercy at breakfast was Zafrina's her mother all sat on the other. For a council meeting, there was no council.

"I'll meet with my advisers privately after this is over. I don't trust you not to attack anyone." Zafrina glared.

"Alice is very sorry." Rosalie said. "Aren't you Alice."

I shrugged. "Forgive me. It was an impulse. Won't happen again." I gave her my sweetest smile, but she was too smart to fall for it.

"I'm willing to do anything to form an alliance." Rosalie said, starting. Senna huffed and rolled her eyes looking like she was already bored. "Alice has this theory that Maria is powerless, well mostly so at least, and I believe her. It makes sense when you think about it. She's been sending all these letters and messengers, threatening war. It might all just be a fluke though. After her dethroning the ever so powerful Lotus," Isabella stiffened in her seat, unhappy to be reminded. "She thinks everyone is afraid of her. She was right, we were. But she's been pushing it too far without any real actions or consequences like she threatens."

"The people of Lotus are strong and hard to be broken. Even when I was ruling. They are taught to only have courage and bravery. No fear. No mercy. Not even when Isabella proved she wasn't afraid to enforce her code did they break. They stood for what they believed in. Strongly, and for a very long time. I think that's what happening in Lotus now. They don't agree with what she's done. So, they are against her. And she can't use death to frighten them. Lets say she were to form an army of reluctant soldiers anyways, they would first kill themselves on the battlefield before they fought for her cause. Die for what you believe in. It's embedded into them after years of cruelty under the rule of The Swan family. Children are born that way now." I said with much confidence. Zafrina seemed curious, but I couldn't tell if she were budging or not. "She doesn't have the strong army she once did to stand with her. Bloodrose has backed out now that Brice is King."

"A theory? I'm supposed to go off of a theory? And if your theory is wrong?" Zafrina leaned forward on the table. "What if she does have an army? What if she's training them and making them strong as we speak. Are my people to die by the hundreds like yours did?"

"That theory came from an oracle. I would take it into further consideration." Isabella said.

"Have you seen this Oracle? Last time I checked with you were somewhat struggling to call upon these visions."

I paused. No, I didn't have a vision, but I knew my people well. I'm not even sure I can still have visions as I've been left barren for months now. "Yes." I said anyways. "Maria is weak. I've seen it."

"Mmm," Zafrina looked at Senna, who shrugged. "And if the vision changes?"

"I will let you know, but it hasn't. She has nothing."

"She has Moonstone. They do not fight well, but they have their machinery. And they could kill twice as many Lycans in half the time, with little effort." Her mother said. I frowned as I thought about it. I knew very little of the Moonstone clan. I've never met anyone from there before, but I did have the pleasure of witnessing their machinery first hand. My fingers trailed over the wooden leg I had, hidden under the fabric of my slacks.

"Then we take out Moonstone first." Isabella said. "Overthrow Moonstone, take their machinery and use it against Maria. Then, she will definitely have nothing."

"First of all, we do not fight. And Moonstone has done nothing for us to conspire to take them down."

"Moonstone is allied with Maria. Her mistakes are theirs to share."

"And how will we go about this? My Lycans are not as well trained." She laughed. "Your plan is ridiculous. Moonstone will blow us the moment we step on their land."

"Not if there is enough of us."

"Bloodmoon and Bloodrose against Moonstone. It just might work." Rosalie nodded.

"Might..." Senna repeated sullenly. "Might is not definitely."

"How long do you suppose this battle will last anyways? Would Maria not just send her troops into Moonstone to defend them? Whatever little Lotus Lycans she has-"

"Is that a yes?"

"No." Zafrina shifted in her seat. "I understand she needs to be stop. But we are not the people to do it. We can not just abandon our ideas of peace because of disruption you started. If your people wish to seek refuge from your war, then they are welcome to come here. But we will not offer any other services. This is the end of this meeting. Leave my Kingdom."

I could tell Rosalie was beginning to get nervous in her seat. I grabbed her hand, as I did when became overwhelmed with her Kingdom's hearing, and reminded her to relax. She eased up only a bit, but it was enough for her to talk.

"You're willing to let people die because you are a coward." She spat, much to my surprise. Zafrina's eyes went gray.

"_Excuse me?_"

"You'd rather have people die than fight to stop it. Maria's tyranny will not end. Whatever it is she wishes to accomplish, she will not stop until she gets it. She will come for you once she's finished with us. Do not think by saying 'no' you have granted yourself some sort of immunity."

"If she is so weak, why do you need us? Shouldn't it be her groveling at my feet?"

"Brice is gathering Lycans for our army as we speak. The humans are welcome to join as well, but even so, I fear that there will not be enough for an army of the magnitude I wish to face Moonstone's machinery and Lycans as well as whatever Lotus Lycans she might have. We need you and you need us. Do it for your people. If they do not ball up now, they will suffer under her hand."

Zafrina shared a look with her wife. Senna looked frightened, but still she gave her wife a knowing smile. "What if they don't volunteer to join? We are peaceful people. They will not want to fight."

"Simple. Don't make it voluntary. Recruit as many Lycans old enough to be recognized and shift as you can. To be fair, we will do the same in Bloodrose. Send as many as you can to Bloodrose and we'll send you some trainers in return. We'll coordinate. Isabella will team up with the trainers." I said, getting a bit excited with her sudden change.

Zafrina huffed. "I don't like this."

"It doesn't matter."

"I'll speak with my advisers." She nodded. "Then I'll make a final decision."

I sighed. Nothing was set in stone. What if they say no? What then? We have no more words.

As she rose, Senna grabbed her hand and shoved her back down. "We're not done." She spoke with a fierceness I've never heard.

"Well no, A final decision has to be made."

"No, you can ensure our alliance with a deal." I raise my eyebrows.

"A deal?" Already I didn't like this. Her eyes went dark. She nodded. A tense moment of silence passed. Before Zafrina spoke.

"Alice," She said with a new found softness. "We will not take your first born son from you. He's already proven to love you far beyond anything Senna and I can offer."

"You're. Not. Keeping. Mercy." I emphasized. I didn't realize I was still holding Rosalie hand until she squeeze me. I getting angry and my hands were going hot, but she didn't pull away.

"You would take her from her mother? She was frightened by you at breakfast." Zafrina was careful not to growl or snarl. I didn't care. I should her my teeth and hoped it intimated her some. It probably did as she showed no fear.

"I _a__m _her mother"

Zafrina frowned. "Keep your son and let us keep the girl with no argument or else there will be no alliance. I will go to Maria myself and tell her everything you've told me."

I froze. Angry tears began to well in my eyes. She couldn't be serious. "You're making me choose?"

"Actually the decision shouldn't be yours. It's Rosalie's army, she should know what she wants."

Rosalie frowned. She didn't look at me, or Isabella though we both stared at her. "It's a deal." She sealed, reaching to shake Zafrina's hand. "We'll write a contract later."

* * *

**This was fun and took no time at all. Yay! *Claps* I'm happy to have gotten it up so quickly even though it meant skipping homework *Shh* **

**Thoughts? Comments? Reviews? (Guys, I love you all but, the lack of reviews is starting to make me sad. I have no idea what you guys think of these chapters anymore. So please, for my sake, leave a thought. Or a comment or something)**

**More soon. **

**Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16- **

Isabella gave Dorotheus away, I remembered. His hand in marriage now, by contract, belonged to Senna's younger sister, Josephine, who was almost five full years older than my baby. It was nothing personal, of course, this was never meant to punish Dorotheus -or even Josephine- in any way. It was simply business that had to be done at the time. Zafrina's placid clan would be merged, and forever linked, to our scabrous one. I kept in mind that we were doing this to make sure there would still be a kingdom to protect once our war was over, and that helped ease the hurt of it somewhat. Though, I wasn't sure it pained Isabella the same to have to make such a decision for the sake of handling what was then the 'problem of the now'. I can, though, imagine it was an easy agreement. Zafrina probably only had to merely suggest the idea. I have no doubt in my mind, it took nothing more for Isabella to jump at it. More men to add to our pathetic, half-baked army in trade of a simple marriage between two children once they came of age. It was very easy. To Isabella, it probably felt like getting away with something. She was prepared to beg Zafrina for the extra support. Instead, all she had to do was agree to marry her son to her childhood friend's sister.

Dorotheus would handle it however he would once it got older, Isabella barely cared of that. She knew how to push those feelings aside to worry about the more important. At the time, I didn't understand, how could anyone just give their child away like that? Not allow them to choose who they will love and bed on their own? Force them to marry for the sake of alliance? It wasn't fair to my child, whether he grew to be accepting of his fate or not. I was young, naive. I argued that there was a better was because I honestly believed there 'always was'. Now, years later, I understand a bit more.

We all have to make sacrifices. The young and the old alike. Marriage was something small compared to what had to be done. If a marriage, that we would worry about in the future, was all it took to bring us one step closer to defeating Maria then of course Isabella would do it. It would be stupid _not _to take an offer that great. Let the child complain if he wishes, his betrothal might have been the very reason he was alive. Eventually, he would mature enough to understand why it had to be done.

Now, Rosalie gave Mercy away. Like Isabella, she didn't ask me. She didn't even so much as glance in my direction before she gave my daughter to another woman. She just agreed to the terms and expected that I understand without complaint. I do understand, of course. It is yet another easy decision that was made for the sake of our lives and those we strive to protect. One child in trade for the greater possibility we might win this fight. With everything we had dangling in front of us on a single thread, it would be madness to say no.

All that kept me from launching for Rosalie's throat was that simple understanding. There are greater things at stake. We cannot waste our time fighting over pettiness. There was a chance Mercy might be happy here. She likes Senna, and apparently, just the thought of me makes her cry.

_Still she is my daughter and I cannot just-_

I released a shaky breath to calm myself._ I mustn't be angry at Rosalie. I mustn't be angry at Rosalie. I mustn't be angry at Rosalie. _

What would I have done if I were placed in that situation?

_Rip Senna's head from her shoulders for making such a foolish request. Gouge her eyes out. Stifle her in her sleep. Sit there quietly as I thought about it then perhaps bring myself to make the same decision Rosalie had. _

I forced myself to breathe again._ We need this. We need this. We need this._

However, that doesn't mean I'm not fuming, trying to find the best way to control my anger. For the moment, it meant pacing back and forth in the room they provided for us. My nails were digging into my palms, but the pain wasn't anything too harsh considering I what I wanted to do to Rosalie. I mustn't be angry at her. I kept having to remind myself that I owe her too much to find her wherever she was, wrap my hands around her neck and just squeeze until her pretty pale face went red and she fell limp.

"She didn't even ask me. Does my opinion of what becomes of my child mean nothing?" I gritted my teeth together. I wanted badly to punch something. Rosalie was too coward to even face me afterward. She and Zafrina shook hands and agreed that a contract would be signed once Zafrina got all her advisers to agree on some, 'few', terms. Then, another meeting would be held, featuring all of them and us, to 'start business'. I saw red. Rosalie stood when Zafrina did, and so did her mother and the two of them left without a word of explanation.

"She's a Queen. Queens don't explain themselves. They say what to do, and their subjects follow." Azah said. She sat quietly on the floor by Isabella's feet. Her face went still when I told her, she sank down onto the floor and remained as quiet as she could while I paced, trying to work out a solution to this in my head. There was none. We mustn't anger Zafrina. If she wants my daughter, she has to have her. She has the leverage. We don't.

"I am not Rosalie's subject!" I snarled. "She should have more respect for me, as a mother, than that." Azah flinched, probably now wishing she had stayed quiet. "It was her decision to make- fine, but Mercy is my child. She didn't even ask me!"

"Would you like me to go speak with her? Surely, there has to be a better way than this. I've known Zafrina all my life, she can be swayed with the right amount of persistence. All Rosalie has to do is push for it." Isabella offered. She grabbed my hand, to stop my pacing and offered me a gentle look. She had been nearly silent throughout the entire thing, but somehow, I wasn't upset with her. I was too paralyzed with shock to launch myself at the blonde queen and stupid Zafrina, who couldn't stop grinning. She must of felt like she won something over me. I could only imagine what Isabella might have been refraining from doing herself and for that I was grateful. She looked at me through grief-stricken eyes and then pulled me down against her. I pushed away. I'm not in the mood for hugs.

"No, we have to keep Zafrina happy. If you persuade Rosalie into backing out of the deal somehow, it will only start a fight and it will risk our alliance with Bloodmoon." _We need this. _"Too many lives are at stake."

I sat next to her on the bed and buried my head in my hands. I wanted to cry. My children are not supposed to be my main focus right now, but the thought of losing one of them...and before I even got a chance to know her...

I couldn't help it.

I heard Isabella grunt, then she rose from the bed. "I'm going to talk to Rosalie. We're not giving away our only daughter, especially not to Zafrina. She has Dorotheus' marriage already. This is greed."

"Isabella! We have the alliance to think about-" I reminded her. "We can't do anything stupid. Even after the contract is signed. Zafrina has a leverage. She has information. She has the option to go to Maria. As much as I agree with you, we cannot upset her."

"We sit and do nothing then?" I nodded.

"We do nothing. Maybe after, once all this is over, we can work out some form of agreement with them. For now though, we focus on ending this war."

"Fine." Isabella gave another deep grunt as she plopped back down beside me. Then her arms were scooping me up into her lap for one of the deepest embraces we've had in the short time she's been back. "If you don't want me to confront her, I won't." she promised with bitter sincerity in her voice.

"Does this mean Dorotheus and I are staying here as well?" Azah squeaked. When I look at her, she has one of her braids in her hands, fumbling with it. "I know what you said earlier, but perhaps you've come to a decision now?" She really doesn't want to stay here, I noticed. I see it in her eyes. She wants to go home just as badly as I do, or at least be near things that reminded her of home.

"I don't like Zafrina. The last thing I want is my son to stay here as well."

* * *

"Child, you are haunted." Zafrina's mother is a woman much taller than I am- then again, almost everyone is very much taller than I am. Her skin is dark brown, like Zafrina, but her hair, which was grey, short and thick, reminded me of Senna's wild brown one. She had a long face, brown drooping eyes, and a body that seemed too shapeless for a woman. She's long, and skinny and unappealing too look at for too long.

She was cautious as she approached me where I stood on one of the balconies of the Bloodmoon palace staring out into the darkness of the night. Selene hid her moon behind dark storm clouds that threatened rain, but the air was dry and still.

I acknowledged the woman with a glance, nothing too long, and hopefully not too sour. I wanted to be alone after the day's events, so I left Azah and Isabella with my son while I took a walk on my own. I wanted to leave the palace, go roam the streets and clear my head of my trepidation perhaps, but Zafrina had yet to call for another meeting and I want to be near by for when she does.

"What demons must follow you around, hmm?" She took a place beside me and took one of my hands into her own. She turned over my palm, and stared at the patterns like the read dark something only she could see. "Look at you, dark eyes, frowning...such menacing looks are not welcomed here."

"I am not haunted." I let her know.

"I raised to believe your type was." She said. It wasn't meant to be mean, or harsh in anyway. Just a 'as matter of fact' kind of thing. Her tone was gentle. "I was not raised to believe violence was ever necessary, but when it came to hybrids-"

"Why are you telling me this? Everyone always has some story. I know what I am. I don't want to hear it." I snapped. I pulled my hands away and leaned against the railings. Why was it so hard to be left alone?

She smirked, and shook her head. "You snarling at me won't make me think you're not haunted. You look like you've seen enough to last your entire life time, but how many years have you? Twenty-four? Twenty-five? You know, when I first heard about you I thought Isabella had gone mad. It was very likely- she was born in a vicious clan, she was barely a girl, she was more fascinated with killing than she was with anything else, still though it came unexpected to me. She was a very dutiful to her father, so I thought if she risked everything she had for you, then you must be special."

"I don't want hear any stories." I told her, becoming frustrated and annoyed. How rude would it be if I just walked away? Would she follow me? Or would she just let me go?

"I was taught that hybrids came from the hells. Hades' creation. His children. And now that I've met you, I have reason to believe that is true. Zafrina told me how you can duplicate yourself, how your creation has skin made from fire. How you summon it."

I made a face. Duplicating myself, that's what Zafrina told her mother. Well, it wasn't a far cry from the truth and I barely understood it myself to call it a lie. "I wasn't made by Hades'. I'm not haunted. And I don't wish to speak with you." As I turned away she grabbed my hand and spun me around. Her drooping eyes went wide.

"I do not want your children here." Her grip tightened around my hands. It didn't hurt, but it became uncomfortable very fast. "I love Mercy as much as Senna does, but I've seen her do what you can. Her tantrums are nothing like Dorotheus'. They are silent, but she...moves things...without touching them...she gets really warm, then she-" She took a breath and released me. "I advised Zafrina to take no part in your war, but my daughter is defiant. I advise you take matters into your own hands. Take your children and leave. If the hells are truly where you ascended from, then we want no part of it."

I was frozen, frightened even. My daughter...was just like me. Fear itched itself in my throat. I forced myself to swallow, then backed away from the woman who looked close to madness. She pointed a skinny, threatening finger at me. "If the gods rain down on us, may it be your problem and only yours. Do not plant your heinous seed upon us again." She grabbed my hands again and began to drag me down the dark halls. She was a lot stronger than she looked. I struggled to keep up with her pace. "Come," She said hastily. "I'll show you her."

As we moved, I wondered why Azah has yet to tell me of this. She's spent four years with them and in her small summery of what I've missed with them, she left that out. Was she worried it would upset me? Did she even known? The children don't seem to be well hidden within the palace, so she had to. Right? Or maybe, Senna handles all of Mercy's tantrums as it's her my child sticks to. If Senna was raised to the same beliefs as Zafrina's mother then, why doesn't she look at my child the same? It was though provoking but I had no time to linger on it as I was being hauled down the corridors.

As we arrived to a dark door, my anxiety began to rise. This would upset Zafrina without a doubt, and the whole reason she still has a head is because I've been trying my hardest to refrain from upsetting her. _We need her happy._

Still, the idea that my child was just behind a door was tempting. _I have to see her. For the sake of my sanity, I have to see her, hold her at least once perhaps. _

Zafrina's mother pushed the door open ahead of me and stepped inside, pulling me with her. The room was larger than what was given to Dorotheus. It wasn't the girlish room I expected Mercy to have to match Dorotheus' boyish one. It was plain. The walls and posts were made of stone. The dresser was bare. The curtains were deep purple, and the bed had sheets that matched. There were no toys scattered. No books about. Nothing. Nothing that would let on that a small girl lived here.

Senna sat on the edge of the bed, where my daughter was already under blankets and ready for bed. All I could make of her in the dimness of her room, and from where I stood, was her deep brown hair. She shuffled, and my heart pounded in my chest. Senna stood to glare at us. Her stance was defensive, as if she could stop me in the event I attacked her. She couldn't, but it was humorous to see her play mother-bear to my child.

"Alice," She said. "It's getting late. Why are you here?"

"I was dragged here." I admitted. "It doesn't matter. I wanted to see Mercy anyways." Her eyes darted to her mother-in-law. She bared her teeth.

"Rhea, Zafrina and I talked about this. Its settled. Bringing Alice here will not change our minds." Zafrina's mother -Rhea- spoke in her tongue, which I did not understand, making it easy to ignore the two as they argued. Senna stepped closer to her, and lowered her voice, as if whatever words she spoke had to be kept secret.

Mercy had already been disturbed and sat up in bed. Her small face was scrunched up like she was ready to cry again. My heart ached. The only Mercy of Lotus should not cry. Senna seemed to be too caught up in her motherly depute to notice, so I took the opportunity to go over myself and sit on her bed.

She shuffled away, getting herself a little tangled in her sheets in the process. She was so beautiful. She has Isabella's eyes. Her face was round, and pale, filled with childish innocence. She certainly didn't look like she was capable of doing any harm to anything. She looked small and fragile. I was afraid she might have gotten that from me. If that was the case, I worry for how long it will be before she can protect herself. I'm almost twenty-five and I've only just learned how. Her eyes glistened with tears. There was no way I could tell her I would not hurt her. That I just wanted to hold her and make sure she would shed no tears tonight.

"Alice, leave." Senna commanded, turning away from Rhea and to me. I frowned, looking at my child. I didn't want to leave yet. I wanted to hold her. Rhea grabbed a hold of Senna's hand, and pulled her back into their argument. I continued to ignore them and held my hands out for my child. I knew she wouldn't come, but I waited anyways. She shook her head and tears began to fall.

I let my arms fall. I don't want to hold her against her will, in fear she might scream, so instead I settled for wiping her tears away with my thumb. There was not much more I could do. Besides, Senna wanted me gone (and Mercy agreed) and I still have an obligation to keep her satisfied.

I rose from the bed. Another night perhaps...

I lean forward and gave her a small kiss on her forehead, as gently as I could. My lips barely brushed her skin, but it was enough to send more tears. She was truly terrified of me. I look into those creamy brown eyes of hers again before I took my leave.

They weren't only brown I noticed then. Creamy brown, with beautiful streaks of purple and blue so light and pale it's easy to miss them there. My heart was beginning to warm for my child, when I realized, a hint of gold was mixed in there as well. As I noticed this, I remembered my own flame that instantly began to burn in the back of my throat.

This might not be as bad as my motherly instincts made it out to be, but my child was definitely thirsty.

* * *

**:D Here it is guys. I hope you liked it.**

**Also, thank you very much for the comments on the last chapter. I really enjoyed them all so thanks for taking the time out to do that for me. (They totally made me smile)**

** I do want to respond to an anonymous reviewer though...because it was a good question and I can't do this privately.**

_**Does Isabella still love Alice?**_

**Strangely enough, this was not the question I expected to be asked given the direction of this story, but okay. It's hard to answer that without giving away too much of my plans for their relationship, but I will say that Isabella hasn't changed as drastically as the other characters and there is good reasoning behind it that will come up later, so... **

**I'm honestly not sure if this story will be AS romantic as the last one due to the different circumstances and drastic character shifts. Again, I don't want to ruin anything but yes, romance is my pot of plot. I felt like I was doing as decent job of giving them some slack (But maybe my little moments were _too_ hidden?). Like, yeah, there are bigger problems but hey, Isabella still holds Alice as she sleeps, so that should speak some volumes as to where Isabella's love for Alice stands. **

**That's all I'm gonna say on that. If you guys have any other questions, I'm happy to answer them. **

**Thoughts? Comments? Reviews? Let me know what you think of this chapter please and thanks. **

**More soon. **

**Till next time **

***Flies away* **


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17- **

Rhea escorted me back to my room, by order of Queen Senna. It was a strange sight, seeing the woman I knew to be so quietly obedient and feeble display so much anger and strength in split of a second and all to protect a child that was not hers. She rushed around to rejoin a sobbing Mercy in her bed when I did not move away from her immediately. She scooped my small daughter up into her arms and held her tightly against her chest, mumbling soft words in a Bloodmoon tongue I wish I understood. For me, her eyes flared their Lycan grey and she bared her teeth, growling for me to leave and be wise not to return or else it is our alliance that will pay the price. Her firm display of motherliness was a bit charming and it fit her well, I admit. Senna would definitely fight for my child if she needed to. That was one of thousands of questions I could put to rest. Mercy and Dorotheus were safe here. Still, I wanted to growl back, to take Mercy from her and gave her the comfort she wanted because it should be my job and not Senna's, but I did as I was told. I left Senna and Mercy alone without a word of my anger or thirst. Senna's in charge, and there is too much at stake for me to question her authority. I pulled Rhea out with me and closed the door behind us. Once it was closed I heard Mercy break down into a fit of cries and almost immediately after I heard Senna's voice, speaking in her tongue words of motherly comfort no doubt. My heart ached badly in my chest for the moment that should be mine. I swallowed it down. It's Senna Mercy wanted, not me. And for the moment, I must allow Senna to mother her. My only duty to my children right now is to keep them safe and that would have to suffice until this feud with Maria is won and over. I cannot be jealous of who takes my place until then.

"My daughter loves a monster's child," Rhea said as we walked. Her words were bitter and angry and for a moment I thought she'd have turn back and scream at Senna once more, but she kept on walking. "Whatever hell comes for her is her doing. She is stubborn. I cannot talk her out of anything anymore. That's Isabella's fault you know." She grimaced at me, shaking her head in disapproval. "Zafrina was so obedient before she came along. The older they got the more she yearned to be like the savages of Lotus, ruthless and resistant. It's Isabella's fault, she taught her to be this way; to not listen to her advisers, to make decisions by herself. A good King listens. Zafrina does not listen and neither did Isabella."

I followed behind her slowly and quietly, already weary of her words. She rambled on, too caught up in her anger to realize I had stopped listening. I took the small moment to try to bring comprehension to what I just saw. Mercy has gold in her eyes and though I'm not entirely sure of what it means, I began to worry for her. What if she's thirsty? I'm her mother, I should provide someone for her to drink. Whether they were willing or not, I would gladly drain a human if it meant my child did not suffer any more. It wouldn't even be hard given my new found talents. Senna would let her starve. Senna _does _let her starve. Mercy is barely five and if her throat burns at all I can imagine it must be very uncomfortable for her. She's too young to feel that sort of pain- or any pain. Also, if Mercy had golden streaks in her eyes, then did mean the same for Dorotheus? At a moments glance, all I could see when I looked into his doe brown eyes were brown. Isabella's creamy brown. I should have looked closer. After nearly four years away from them, I should have inspected them closer. I wondered how much of my children were Lycan and how much of them were Vampire. I wasn't sure. Isabella was a full Lycan, and an Alpha as well. I was only part of each breed. Still, I had my moments where the vampire in me took over stronger than the rest, and other moments where it the oracle within me that led. What does that mean for my children? Which part led? And when? As babies, they drank blood with every meal as I did, and so they were never thirsty whether it was necessary they feed or not. I do not know how often they crave blood. I do not know how badly their throats might burn with thirst. I do not know and that sparks a new anger in me. I'm their mother. I should know.

Rhea and I arrived back at the room's door in silence and With dark drooping eyes, she bid me a goodnight and disappeared into the darkness of the corridor. Dorotheus was already asleep when I stepped back into the room, and as worried as I was for him, it did not seem fair to wake him. I could search him as I pleased in the morning and if I found that he too had streaks of gold in his eyes then I'd waste no time demanding we share a blood meal. He laid in the middle of the bed Isabella and I were to share, sprawled out messily and taking up most of it. His long curls covered most his face but he seemed to be peaceful as he snored softly.

Isabella emerged from the bathroom then, shirtless, pants drooping from her waist and a towel slung over her shoulder. A curious look settled upon her face when her eyes met mine. "Are you okay? You look worst than when you left." Quickly she crossed the room and trapped me in her arms. "Did something happen?" I felt bad as her curiosity turned to worry, marking her face in an unpleasant way. With her good hand, she cupped my face and forced me to look her, searching my eyes for answers my voice refused to speak. I stared back her thinking this is where I'd usually break down. Become weak and fall. Begin to cry and vent my frustration. Isabella would scoop me up, collect all of my pieces and put me back together like she does. Then, by morning, she would have already found some way to slay my troubles for me. If I were to cry right now, I knew deep down I could count on her to provide me the comfort I craved. But, tears don't come to my eyes. I don't feel weak at my knee. I don't fall. And my frustration only feels like anger building inside me. But Isabella's arms are still warm and inviting. It's almost a shame I don't feel like confiding in her. I just wanted to hit something. Preferably Senna.

"Nothing happened." I said pulling away. She didn't let me, and I sighed when she brought me closer to her than I'd like to be. "Isabella I-"

"What was I thinking?" She said with dismay. "My wife is broken. I cannot count on her to tell me when she is hurt. I swear, if I find out Zafrina has caused you more trouble I will have her head." Her expression softened as she smiled at me. "Would you like that?"

"Zafrina has done me nothing."

"Then is it Senna? If it's an apology for stealing Mercy you seek then I can get you one. She isn't a strong woman. She wouldn't be hard to break, she's isn't strong like you are. Zafrina would be upset, of course, but all the more tempting. I've been wanting to punch her since I got here."

"Isabella-"

"No?" She sighed, becoming frustrated. "Who else could have angered you in the small while you were gone? Who could cause you to look like this? Tell me and I'll punish them."

"The offer is kind, really it is, but that is not necessary. My trouble lies with me. Will you let me go?" I began to wiggle but of course against her it was pointless. She held me in a firm grip and allowed her nose to nuzzle over my ears in an odd attempt of comfort. I stiffened, not sure if I liked her doing this to me. My heart screamed to let her continue, just let her hold me for the night or at least just a little a while. But on the other, I still wanted to fight and kick and just punch someone until I got my fill.

"Then allow me to make you forget." She said softly in my ear. I groaned at her stubbornness, causing her chuckle. "I swear you are so different. Come, if you will not let me be your warrior for the night, then perhaps I can offer other services? How about a bath first, then some wine, then we can sit in the most awkward, uncomfortable silence you wish until you feel tired enough for bed?"

She didn't wait for my response before scooping me up in her arms and taking me with her to the bathroom, where she already had a hot bath drawn. She set me down and quickly began working on the buttons of my shirt. As annoying as it was, I didn't object. A hot bath sounded nice, and so did wine. And perhaps in all my trepidation this is what I needed most- something to calm my nerves. Besides, I used to love when Isabella took care of me like this. I don't want that to change as well.

She tossed my shirt to the side of the room, and pulled down my slacks. For a small moment she stared at the pale of my left leg and then the wood of the right one bought for me. I frowned, immediately wanting to cover it, though she's seen it before. It felt wrong, and I knew what it looked it. Scarred and ugly, the wood is hard and heavy and strange. I don't know what Isabella thought of it. I don't want to know.

Without a word she continued, unstrapping it from my stub remainder of a leg. I wasn't fond of taking it off, because usually when I do I'm even more useless than usual, but I had to sometimes because it had to be cleaned as well. So I didn't object to that either, just leaned against Isabella when my balance gave way.

She picked me up and placed me in the tub then a moment later, she joined me, placing me in her lap once she leaned back herself with a smug grin on her face. "You got me naked." I stated. "Do you feel proud of yourself?"

She wrapped her arms around my waist and nodded. "And without a word of objection. Yes, I feel very accomplished."

"You owe me wine." She shrugged.

"Whatever it takes. For now, I want you to try to relax. It seems to be a challenge for you lately." I did. I laid against her, letting the warmth of the water sooth me and melt away my troubles for a small while. "See," She said stroking my back. "Isn't this better than arguing with me?" My mind cleared as I only focused on Isabella's breathing and her surreal heartbeat hammering away in her chest. Everything about her was still too good to be true, but here she is anyways...all of her. The scars on her body -from where Maria had allowed her men to defile and degrade her body- where now all gone, faded away as if they were never there and she never died. If I listened carefully I could hear the rush of her blood flowing, and I could smell her naturally sweet and mouth watering scent. I smiled into, burying my nose in her neck. Gods, she smells amazing. My throat burned like fire, but I attempted to ignore for just a while longer so I could enjoy this moment with her. Her chest vibrated against me as she laughed. "Do I smell good?" I nodded.

"For a long time I didn't think I'd ever feel someone against me again. This is nice." I admitted. She moaned when I nuzzled her. I wasn't sure if it was loving as I meant it to be, but I tried. Gentleness didn't seem to be a trait I possessed anymore.

"I suppose I should apologize for being gone again?" I shook my head.

"Don't. I don't want to hear anymore apologizes or excuses from anyone. It happened. It's over. Marie did us a favor and now your back. I want to care that it happened anymore."

"Okay..." She trailed off quietly. "What do we do now then because I do not know."

"We're being honest?" She nodded. "Okay, then..." I breathed in her scent one more time and pulled away to look at her. The same worried look from before invaded her face and my heart clenched tightly in my chest for her. "I don't want to hurt you, but if we're being completely honest with each other, then there is no more 'us'. And there will be just an 'us' again. You have an imprint on Rosalie, and as much as I don't wish to share you, she-"

"I don't love Rosalie." She said quickly, and defensive. It wasn't a topic I wished to speak of either, but it had to be said before I could allow it to hurt me anymore. She frowned deeply and wrapped her hands around my waist tightly bringing me forward. "Why would you say that? I care deeply for her as she is my imprint, yes, but I also fear the day I begin to love her. It's you I chose, it's you I want. How can something with Rosalie beat this? If I lose you because of her I would hate her everyday we are together."

I chuckled at the image that popped into mind. Isabella treating Rosalie the way Zafrina treats Senna. It was comforting to think she still loved me that much but..."Rosalie has done nothing to deserve that. This isn't her fault nor is it yours, though it upsets me regardless. I can't keep you to separate forever, it's not fair to either of you. You need to talk about it with her. Whatever we do going forward, in a romantic sense, will involve her one way or another. There's no more 'us'. It's me and you. And you and Rosalie. Or however we find that this will work." I cupped her face in my hand. Her eyes became like glass and I feared my big strong Alpha would shed tears in front of me again. "I don't want to lose you again. As much as I wanted you back I never imagined you would be, but here you are. And it's confusing, I can't bring my self to be content with everything weighing down on me, but I want to." I told her softly, then leaned forward to kiss her lips. She kissed me back, feverishly and hungrier than my own careful one.

"You won't lose me again." She said, breaking from my lips. "We'll figure it out. We have to." I nodded my agreement. "Good," She said, settling back down into the water with a sigh of relief. "Now what do we do about your thirst?" She grinned and brushed her thumb under my eyes, which I could imagine were now shining a bright golden.

* * *

"Hold still," I told Dorotheus for the third time. He didn't understand me, of course and kept wiggling in my grip on him. His brown eyes stared back into my own a bit nervously. I admit, we've been in this position for a minute too long, but if he'd just stop moving like I asked him to, I could finish my evaluation in peace and set him him. Isabella repeated the words to him in a gentler tone than my own. She knelt on the floor behind him, her hands were much stronger than mine, but she seemed to refuse to want to help hold him in place.

In his brown eyes I saw nothing but brown. Beautiful, beautiful brown, but as much as I am grateful, I am worried. Why was it in Mercy's eyes but not his?Dorotheus turned away from me once more, this time grinning. He looked at Isabella and told her something to make her smile. Then she looked at me, "He's says you're acting funny."

I frowned at them both and gripped Dorotheus' chin, turning him back to me. "Just once more..." He opened his eyes wide for me this time, mocking me of course, but I did not scold him for it. Only took the opportunity to search his eyes again. Still nothing but brown appeared. I sighed and released him, where he happy ran back over to his wooden armor and sword. Azah helped him tie up, 'preparing him for battle'. I huffed and stood from my place on the floor. I groaned towards my son. He seemed happy and lively enough. There was nothing about him that said he might be in any pain. Still, I couldn't stop myself from worrying for him.

"Would you ask him if his throat burns for me?" I asked Isabella. She raised an eyebrow at me, oddly, but complied regardless. She repeated the words in a bloodmoon tongue and Dorotheus replied quickly and short. She didn't have to tell me it meant 'no.'. "Ask him if he's sure."

"Are you okay Alice?" Isabella pulled me to the side with her, where she picked up a wooden sword like Dorotheus' and twisted it around in her hands. He insisted we play pretend with him after breakfast, which was tense, and quiet. Mercy sat with Senna again, her face buried in Senna's neck, only peeking out every now and then to reluctantly take a bite of food. She looked at me once, and then her eyes watered. I ached to hold her. To make her stop crying myself, but there was nothing I could do, other than stare at her, while Senna took my role as mother and hushed her.

After, Dorotheus pulled Isabella and I back to his room, where we waited for Zafrina to come to terms with her council. It was taking too long and I was beginning to worry, though she told us they were only having 'small difficulties' with the situation and would be with us tomorrow by latest. Also, that we shouldn't worry rather enjoy ourselves while we wait. I glared at her. How stubborn could they be that she had to take two and a half days to break them? For Isabella and I, enjoying ourselves meant spending the day with our son. He wanted to spar with Isabella. He wanted Azah and I to watch, and cheer for him.

"I'm fine."

"You don't seem 'fine'." She wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to her, kissing my nose. "If it's your thirst you're worried about then you should know, Zafrina doesn't like the idea of you feeding from any of her people, but will offer regardless so long as you can promise you won't kill them."

I huffed, I suppose it was better than nothing. "Okay, but I'd like it if Mercy and Dorotheus fed as well."

Isabella grinned. "Is that what's worrying you? That they might be thirsty?" Mm, well I can't promise Dorotheus will be willing to drink, but he admires you, and if you ask him to drink, he probably will. Mercy however, belongs to Senna by contract, and you know how she feels about feeding them."

I feel my anger starting in me again. I know what I saw, and I'll be damned if I let my child starve on account of their stubbornness. "I'll talk her into it."

"You can try...Just don't hurt her..." She chuckled and kissed my lips quickly before letting me go to spar with Dorotheus.

Dorotheus called my name, signaling that he wanted me to watch. I smiled at him, and tried to seem as encouraging as I could. He smiled back, and took at defensive stance against Isabella. Isabella told him something in his tongue before she began to hit her wooden sword against his. I watched the two idly. Isabella was raised not to let him win, so this should be interesting. Dorotheus fought just as viciously as he did in the battlefield, knocking over various items from his dresser as he went a long. Isabella blocked every move he made effortlessly and after just a few moments, the frustration of it became evident on his face. He frowned, and his lips settled into a pout. Isabella mocked him, and from the tone from which she spoke, I didn't need a translation to know she was teasing him.

Azah joined my side and interlocked our arms. "You're smiling today." She said. "Are you feeling better?"

"Sure," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "I'll have plenty of time to fight Senna over Mercy when the war is won. For now, I need her loyalty and alliance. And I need her to trust me."

"None of them trusts you, Alice." Azah replied truthfully. "You're a menace to them, but they need you just as much as you them. I don't think you have to worry about their loyalty any more. There's no way Zafrina will give in to Maria. Nor will she fall by her hands. I think her loyalty to you is set in stone."

I smiled, thinking about it. If Azah's words were true, then this was another thing I could relax about. One more weight lifted off my shoulders. It felt nice.

Isabella let Dorotheus knock the wooden sword from her hand and then he pretended to stab her and she fell in faux agony, holding her chest. She died. I let myself laugh at her performance then clapped for my son, who placed one foot atop her back, and flex, victorious.

Dorotheus bowed, and then resumed his defensive position as Isabella rose from the dead, ready for a round two.

* * *

**Maria's POV **

Heavy hands clamped over my own as I rushed to clean his dirty face. He was muddy, so, so muddy and dirty. He's already tracked it all over my floor. I had to get him cleaned up, now."Relax," He said. His hands were cold, almost freezing. But that'd go away eventually right? It had to. Cold and dirty or not, they were his hands and I-

Oh my gods. They were his hands.

I tell myself a warrior does not cry. Especially not the warrior of Lotus, not the ruler of Lotus. I can't cry. But when I look up and meet those beautiful brown eyes that seemed to run in his family I couldn't help my self. I flung my arms around his neck and let tears be tears.

"I missed you so much." I let him know. "So so much. You can't leave me again."

"I don't think I'll be going anywhere..." His hair was brown under all that muddy dirtiness, and his skin pale but healing. I ripped open his shirt and tore off his pants with it, leading him into what would be our bathroom once again. Quickly I turned on the hot water and pulled him into the tub. All the dirt sticking to him needed to be washed away.

"Look what she did to you." I cried. His chest was all torn up, open and dry where they were once bloody. I feared the damage the spikes had done would be in-correctable, but I was promised a version of him like he was. Like he never died. "That treacherous woman you called your sister...look at what she did to you." And I've seen it with our son, it will fix itself. I was sure, I just had to give it time. He only just returned. Ethan has been back for nearly a fortnight, and already he was beginning to look like he did before.

"Maria." He said, cupping my face. "What did you do?"

"Something bad..." I mumbled, though I know he hated that. He hates when people mumble. He hates when you don't just tell him things straight forward. And here I was mumbling. How foolish of me. He only just returned and already I must be getting on his nerves. "I did it for us. For our kingdom. They needed a king. A stronger one. You died before you could teach Ethan to be strong like you. You have your mother to thank. She gave me the idea."

"My mother?" He groaned and nearly stumbled forward into me. "She's...alive still?"

I cringed. "Yes."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know..."

"You don't know?"

"I don't know... Please, let me bathe you, you are all dirty." I poured oil into his hair and began to scrub all the mud out. It fell out in dirty clumps at our feet, leaving nothing behind but beautiful brown hair. "I don't know if your sister is still gone though. Marie had books thrown all about her room on death and resurrection. The Black Isles. Deals with Hades. I don't know what she's been up to. She disappeared."

"And you didn't attempt to find her."

"She's a weak woman. She's probably dead. Don't worry. Relax. Let me take care of you." He tried to shove against me, but found himself still too weak to do any good. He had to cling to me to stand up right.

"My mother is of Lotus. She is not weak. Find her!"

"Max, please, stop worrying so soon." I paused in my scrubbing to look at him. He was still that strong man. So beautiful and brave. And now, he's back and we'll rule together like we were meant to.

"What deal did you make with Hades? How did you even find him?"

"He didn't say, nor did he say for Ethan, I'm not concerned. When the time comes I will find a way to pay my debt." he huffed and clung tighter to me as he almost slipped in the tub.

"How am I not to worry when you've made so many mistakes?" I gripped his face in my hands and smashed my lips against his to quiet him.

"Hush, if Marie did something stupid I will take care of it. Your sister isn't as powerful as she thinks she is. There's one thing I didn't mess up though." I said, kissing him again. He fell silent as he waited for me to tell him, "I killed her little demon."

* * *

***Hides behind shield* Well hello there lovely readers and fellow fans of suspense and angst. *innocent smile* How are ya? As you can see, I've done something^ Something devious and I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. **

**Let me know what you think please? I _really_ want to know. I need to know. I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. hehe. So just drop a comment, review, or thought. and don't murder me :) Thanks. **

**It was a challenge writing in Maria's POV so, I'm about that. Also, it's late (And I'm so tired) and I got kinda lazy with it. The next time her point of view comes up, I'll try to make it more menacing. **

**Till next time *Which hopefully will be very soon* **

***Flies away* **


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